


Perfection

by ExodusDei



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Romance, S.T.A.R.S.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-11 17:19:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 107,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8999824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExodusDei/pseuds/ExodusDei
Summary: Chris Redfield is doing his best to live up to the expectations his S.T.A.R.S. Captain has, but his own careless nature tends to get in the way. To the point where he is considering resignation, avoiding the man for reasons he´s unwilling to divulge and his work performance oscillates, driving the rest of team Alpha crazy. Until they have enough of both, Captain and Pointman. But problems in the team are not the only thing getting in the way. A crazy incident at an abandoned mansion forces S.T.A.R.S. to consider that there are greater things afoot than they might be prepared for, but with their reliable Captain leading them, things simply have to turn out fine in the end. They have to.





	1. Stark, white tiles

He hated the smell of hospitals. Sterile and covering up all sorts of death and disease and failing miserably at that. The tiled white walls only made him think of how much shit has been washed off of them, how many people bled out while clinging to one. It made his stomach turn when he heard a disembodied voice overhead calling a doctor into the ER. A nurse walked past him, arms full of bandages and sterile solutions that made him take a step back. Someone was talking to him, but the words made no sense as he continued to just stare.

It wasn´t right. He was always perfect. Always prepared for anything and ready to have an answer, know the right action, do the correct thing that would end in a success. So why was he lying there so silently? His hair wasn´t even proper. Someone messed it up and it looked wrong. His uniform had to be taken off and he couldn´t see it anywhere and his hand closed tighter around the item he held. The soft beeping of the machine beside the hospital bed was too mechanic. Too fake. What if it would suddenly go faster? Or just in a straight line? What then?

The steady drip of a clear liquid was an unnerving sight and he never understood what it was for. A large dose of medicine like that couldn´t be correct. Water made no sense. But at least he understood the blood bag, the Umbrella logo stamped clearly on the front, above the tiniest writing he had seen. Or maybe it was bigger, but he was staring from behind a clear window as a man in a white coat wrote something down before stepping out.

"You can go see him, but he´s not going to wake up for a few more hours because of the sedatives. Good news is that he will recover and can be discharged in a couple of weeks." Those words finally made sense and he slowly looked to the man. An older doctor, so he probably had experience and knew what he was talking about, so why didn´t he feel comforted? Why did it feel like a lie? "You´re members of his team then?"

"Yes, S.T.A.R.S., team Alpha." Barry was the one to speak, perhaps the most composed of them all. Come to think of it, he was the one who got him to join S.T.A.R.S. and he had known the man for a while now. Maybe if he had been there instead of him, then the man lying in the awful hospital bed would be fine now. This was all his fault after all. Again he clutched at the item in his hand before a hand on his shoulder loosened his grip.

"You alright? I got some coffee. Come on, let´s go see him." Jill´s voice was soft and suddenly he found himself holding a plastic cup full of dark liquid. It should be burning his fingers, but it wasn´t. Watching Barry go inside the room he could not move, still frozen to the spot. The weapons supervisor didn´t stay long though, just lightly squeezed at the unconscious man´s shoulder and walked out. 

"He´ll be fine. It takes more to kill off that man and you should know it. Come on, go inside and see him." Walking out he smiled, but there was no comfort in the expression. Before he could do anything, or even try to say something, Jill dragged him into the room and briefly he caught sight of himself in the mirror above the sink. 

It looked wrong. The blood on his body looked so wrong, because it wasn´t his own. It dried into an ugly dark brown against the green and he wondered if his eyes looked the same. A disgusting brown that looked like the dry blood of the man who tried to save him. And was now lying there motionless, not even aware they were there. It should have been such an easy mission, too. Go, save the hostages, arrest the culprits, done. Nothing special. Nothing they hadn´t done a hundred times before.

And it wasn´t like blood was a new thing for him, either. He had been injured plenty of times before, saw people bleed out to death, more blood staining the ground that was now soaked into his clothes, yet this was nothing like that. This was different. It was his fault and he forced himself to tear his gaze away from his reflection and instead stared at the man in the bed.

If only he had listened. If only he had realized years ago that being discharged from the Air Force was for a reason. That being disobedient and stubborn was not a good quality and the arguments he got into were his fault. If only he had stayed away from this kind of thing, then none of this would have happened. The culprit wouldn´t have fled the scene with the crying kid. He wouldn´t have followed in spite of the orders being yelled at him. But at the time it made sense. Do everything to save the hostage, even at the cost of your own well-being.

He was a good marksman and he knew it. Granted, nowhere near his level, but close. If anything, it pushed him harder to improve and seek his approval and the smallest nod was the greatest praise to him each time. Whenever he was acknowledged for his skills his chest swelled with pride and he tried even harder, greedy for more. So when he saw the kid held in front of the man, a gun aimed at him, he knew what to do.

And it worked perfectly. The shot hit the man in the thigh, the shock knocking him off balance and he released the kid who ran off quickly into the safety of Jill´s arms. He thought he won, saving the hostage and being able to apprehend the man like this, but then there was a gun pointed at him and he was too slow to react, a smile frozen on his face as two shots were fired. He didn´t have time to brace himself for any pain and it never came, instead a weight leaned against him and he heard the clatter of something onto the damp ground. 

Something warm pressed against him, spreading as the body became a dead weight and his hands came away damp with red as he stared at the man. This was all wrong. This wasn´t supposed to happen. He knew that he disobeyed, but instead of paying the price for that he was... why? He never noticed that Barry took out the man who shot as Joseph shouted for a medic somewhere behind him. He wasn´t aware of anything, only that he refused to let go of the man in his arms until he was forcefully pulled away from him and watched his body lay on the stretcher, the sirens soon echoing in the street as the white ambulance drove away.

"Strange to see him like this... but he´ll be fine. The doctor said it was a clean exit and the bullets missed his heart. He´ll just have to take it easy for a while, right?" Jill was trying to smile, to be strong, but even she knew that this kind of sight was wrong. Walking over to the bed she reached out, hesitating before trying to smooth the hair back into its usual place, failing as it slid back into his forehead. "I wonder if his hair looks like this when he wakes up in the morning..."

Did it? No, he was always perfect. Always prepared for anything. Always had the right answer, the solution that everyone sought and he knew what to do. Even if he was sometimes a pain in the ass and demanded the same diligence from his team, they followed him for a reason. Even if he never joined them in a bar after work, even if he never smiled or showed any hint of emotion, he was there and he was the best of them.

_Albert Wesker was simply perfection._

And now he was lying there and all he could do was stare at the man and try his best not to cry. Or maybe he was crying, he wasn´t sure any longer. "You should go and clean up. The nurse is back and about to kick you out. Sterile environment and all." Jill was looking at him now and slowly he looked down, seeing the blood. There was just so much of it... why? How could he be alive after so much blood spilled? It was impossible. His eyes burned and soon he noticed a few clear droplets on the floor beneath him, another joining them soon. Then another two and his face felt wet. This wasn´t right at all. It should be him lying there and not Wesker. Not the man he looked up to so much.

Looking up from the floor he stared at Wesker once more, aware that Jill was saying something, but he couldn´t hear her. He only heard the echo of the last thing Wesker said before his weight pushed him down and the warm blood seeped into his clothes. It was the first time as well, which would have made him so happy. At any other time, he would have been ecstatic, but now he just wanted to vanish. Still staring at the man he felt his heart stop for a moment as the pale lashes fluttered and ice-blue eyes slowly focused on him.

_"Chris..."_

The plastic cup fell from his hand, clattering to the floor and spilling mediocre coffee over it as he took a step back, unable to stand the intensity of the gaze. It was too much. 

"Chris? What-Chris!" He hard Jill yell, but he was out the door before she could do anything to stop him. He ran away like a coward, tears blurring his vision as he fled the hospital. He had to get away and running was the only way he knew how. And he did, unaware of how he ended up back at the station. His lungs were burning as he fought to catch his breath, still clutching at the object he picked up what felt like hours ago. The shades Wesker always wore cracked as they fell, one of the lenses ruined and just looking at them made him want to cry all over again, but he had no tears left.

\---

"Captain! You´re awake!? But the doctor said-"

"Valentine... too loud." His head was throbbing and the excitement in her voice was not helping. Seeing Chris run away like that worried him, even more as she didn´t go after him, but one look around showed the reason for that and the events all came back. The man who used a child for a shield, his Pointman going after him in spite of being told not to, thus ignoring another direct order, rescuing the child and being shot at.

Wesker recalled the pain and then darkness, but it was strange warm and comforting. Moving his hand he grunted in disapproval as he realized that he was actually hooked up to a blood bag and once his eyes focused he saw his name on it. Of course. The Umbrella logo was annoying as well, but he could deal. Moving his other hand, glad to see that one was at least free, he touched his chest. Heavy bandages and pain, but he was alive. But that didn´t surprise him. After all, he had no plans to die just yet.

"I´ll get the doctor!"

"Don´t... waste of time..." Frowning for a moment he looked at Jill. The lights were too bright and after a moment he became aware that he was missing his shades to protect them from the strong lights. Seeing his look, Jill was quick to hit the lights and instead lit the lamp beside the bed that he found much more comforting.

"Sorry, Captain, but the doctor will want to see you since you´re awake. I´ll also get someone to clean up the coffee mess. Chris is... he´s just worried, that´s all. I´m sure he´ll come back to see you when he calms down." If only her voice sounded as reassuring as her words, but even she had doubts. "I´ll be right back." She left and Wesker enjoyed the moment of silence. For a while.

His thoughts would not leave him alone now and he was aware of what happened. Being shot was an uncomfortable feeling, but his body was already healing the damage. The doctors would not understand unless related to Umbrella or Spencer in any way, which would only cause trouble in the long run. And Chris...

The sight of the tear-streaked face wouldn't leave him no matter how much he tried. He had never seen him like this. The blood on his clothes was dry, so not his own and he was moving around fine. So he didn´t get hurt. That was all Wesker cared about. He protected his Pointman, protected the young, ambitious fool who disobeyed yet another order and put his own life in the way of saving another. Always so eager. So when the shots came, Wesker moved without thinking. And he didn´t regret it. He would heal from something like this within a few days at most. Chris might not have and he wasn´t about to test that theory. So why did he run away like that?

The absence of his shades bothered Wesker, but that wasn´t something he could fix at the moment. Something else though was and he slowly raised his hand, brushing his hair back into its usual sleek state, or as much as he could without a mirror, feeling better once he was done. A nurse came in to wipe the mess from the floor and he saw Jill return with the shocked doctor who told her to stand outside after a moment. 

"The sedatives usually keep a grown man under for at least twelve hours."

"I presume that goes for most cases. Either way, kindly remove the equipment so that I can leave-"

"You´re not going anywhere. You were shot twice and your body can still go into a shock. A week at least is what you´ll be spending here. You can send the girl-"

"The girl is a S.T.A.R.S. operative and will be addressed as such, _doctor_."

"...S.T.A.R.S.?" There was a hint of recognition on the man´s face and Wesker sighed. "Well, you can send your operative to retrieve some personal items if you wish to, as well as clothing you might need later, but for now you are to stay here." Such a smug attitude. 

"I assure you, I have no intention of staying that long. I have things to do." For one, he had to deal with Chris Redfield.

\---

He still looked awful. Washing his face with cold water did nothing to help and even now he was staring at the blood on his clothes. It seeped through the tactical vest and into his shirt. And he still felt the sensation of sticky, warm blood on his hands no matter how hard he scrubbed. That was two hours ago. Now he was sitting in the corner of Wesker´s office, face buried in his knees. His Captain risked his life to save him and nearly _died_. He never felt as useless as that very moment.

His hands still shook as he stared at the cracked shades. Seeing Wesker without them made the man seem so vulnerable, so... fragile. He had only seen him without them once before and even then it was by accident. Coming to work early to catch up on the report he neglected he stumbled upon Wesker in the locker room, the man obviously just finished changing into his work clothes and his shades were resting on the shelf in his locker. When their eyes met, those icy-blue hues staring straight at him, Chris could not move.

He wasn´t sure he even said anything to his Captain, fleeing the locker room, startled by the sight of his eyes like that. When he came back later the man was already in his office and working and Chris took longer to change than any other time, still thinking about his eyes. So many discussions had been going on about what colour they were and he felt special knowing. And though they were an icy blue, he couldn´t help thinking that they were oddly warm and how badly he wanted to see them again.

_But not like this._


	2. Denied

His hands kept trembling as he tried to write down his own name into the form. It should be so easy, there was nothing to it. Just fill it out, add reasons and sign, done. But instead of _Chris Redfield_ , the field he filled out resembled chicken scratch. Illegible. Balling up the fourth form he wanted to weep, but he had no more tears left. His eyes were tender from the constant rubbing and he no longer felt like throwing up at least. Not that there was anything left to. Dry-heaving from something like this... how pathetic could he get?

Very, it turned out, as he picked up another copy of the resignation form and sniffed, shakily filling out his name, trying to make the letters as straight as possible. But the moment he finished a droplet smudged the fresh ink. Followed by another. It looked like he still had tears left to shed.

But Chris saw no other way. He had to resign. Until now, even when he disobeyed a direct order, it all went fine. More often than not he actually did well and was later both reprimanded and praised by the man he looked up to so much. But this time that very man nearly died and it was all his fault. He could still feel the weight of Wesker´s body as he was shielded from any further bullets, the warmth of his blood on his hands and just thinking about it was enough to make him feel sick.

Another crumpled paper joined the others and Chris rubbed his hands vigorously over his face. He had been in the Air Force for years and should be more composed. He had done things that should have rendered him hardened to face working with S.T.A.R.S., yet instead he was shaking, ignoring the world outside in favour of penance he inflicted onto himself. He didn´t even know if Wesker made it... 

What if he just woke up for a short moment and then crashed? Chris hadn´t spoken to Jill or Barry or anyone else and it´s been... 37 hours and 14 minutes since then. He counted. How could he not? It has been barely a year, not even that, since he even started working with Wesker as his Captain and he changed so much. The man forced him to change without telling him to.

The time he bragged about his marksmanship and challenged Wesker and then lost to the man so easily only made him train harder, spend hours improving his aim, his concentration. And he challenged him again and lost and continued to work hard just to be able to walk up to him and demand another rematch. And the man always found time to humour him. Training with the man itself was always pushing him to the limit and beyond.

The others were the same. Even Barry who was the same age as Wesker, though looked older than the Captain, followed the man, listening to his orders and was often considered the second-in-command. And for a while, Chris was jealous, wanting the same position. But... he overheard them once. Wesker and Marini, the Captain of team Bravo, talking in the break room about the best men on their team. And it wasn´t Barry´s name that Chris heard. It was his own, followed by a remark that he still had a lot to learn, but he truly believed he heard pride in Wesker´s voice.

That was two months ago and he tried so hard to live up to those expectations, only to throw them all away.. 37 hours and 24 minutes ago. Just seeing the digital clock made him want to weep. He hadn´t slept or eaten anything, only the dizziness he felt forcing him to actually drink, but the only thing he could keep down was lukewarm water. He was a fucking failure and being this aware of it hurt so much, but nothing like the pain of holding Wesker´s unconscious form in his arms.

It was morning by the time he finished up the final resignation form, handwriting still shaky, but legible. His reasons... he didn´t know what to write without sounding as pathetic as he felt.

_Failure to follow orders._

Simple enough, but at the same time it stared back at him, blaming him for what happened, as though he needed any more of that. Leaving the form on his desk he slowly stood up, dragging himself to his bathroom to finally shower. He rubbed his skin raw already, but the blood... he could still feel the warmth. Letting the hot water scald his skin until he could no longer take it he washed up, not even bothering to consider shaving. He didn´t need to any longer.

His clothes felt strange and he kept staring at them, expecting to see dried blood, but instead just saw the blue of his jeans as he pulled them on. It felt weird to be wearing normal... civilian clothes. Pulling his shirt on he frowned, then took it off, staring at the S.T.A.R.S. logo with sad eyes. He couldn´t wear this any longer. Reluctantly he put the shirt away, neatly folded, then grabbed a plain black one, putting a hoodie of the same bleak colour on. He looked almost the same as he felt. Miserable, tired, simply defeated. Staring at the broken shades that Wesker wore not long ago he still didn´t know what to do with them. Throwing them away was out of the question though. For now he just let them sit on the nightstand, right beside the photo of the two S.T.A.R.S. teams. He should have at least one happy memory.

Seven in the morning... perfect time to resign from the place he loved.

\---

The station looked as always, as though nothing happened and he hated that. Their Captain was shot! Yet Joseph was whistling as he made coffee, greeting him before seeing his face and commenting on how he looked like shit. How fucking dare he be this content when Wesker was... Wesker was probably-

"Chris!! Where were you!? We were all so worried-holy shit, you look like death warmed over!" Jill was trying to fuss over him, but he pushed her hand away. All he wanted was to drop the resignation on Barry´s desk, since he presumed the man was now in charge with Wesker gone, and clear out his desk. There wasn´t much there, anyway. Nothing of any worth that couldn´t be thrown away. 

"Chris, are you listening?"

"No." He really wasn´t. Because whatever she said wasn´t important at all. Walking past Jill he stopped at his desk, seeing the unfinished report he still had sitting there along with a mug of coffee that he never finished. Never would, either. Barry´s desk was immaculate though, but the man was nowhere to be found. The photo of his wife and two daughters and him... they looked really happy. 

"Redfield! Finally you show up." Barry´s large hand patted his shoulder, hard enough to make him stumble, which alone was startling for the older man. Usually Chris was more sturdy. More aware. Now he looked like some kind of a zombie.

"I forgot... my service revolver and badge." They were in the same pile in the bathroom as the clothes he wore that night. He hadn´t dared to touch any of that. So caught up in trying to finish the resignation form, he hadn´t considered that he would be losing those. It felt like losing a part of himself. No matter, he could bring them by later today. Not tomorrow, since he didn´t want to wait even a day longer. He couldn´t.

"Here, my resignation." The silence after the words was deafening. Setting the form on Barry´s desk he didn´t even wait for a reply. He needed one stamp and a signature and that was it. Nothing special. It was over. Walking back to his desk, former now, Chris wanted to clean up as quickly as possible before anyone could ask too many questions. Instead he heard a familiar voice from the closed off office and froze.

_"What is this nonsense?"_

"Captain! Why-how? You´re supposed to be at the hospital!" Jill easily voiced what everyone was thinking. When they came in, the office door was closed and they assumed Marini did that. And last night she visited Wesker at the hospital with Barry...

"I overruled the doctor´s diagnosis regarding my health. Now, care to answer, Redfield?" The footsteps were slower than usual, the crinkle of already wrinkled paper too loud in the silent room and Chris didn´t dare turn around.

"It´s... my resignation... from S.T.A.R.S." Why did it hurt so much to say it out loud?

"...consider it _denied_."

"What!?" This time he did turn around, just in time to see Wesker rip the form in half, then again and again until he let the pieces of paper float to the floor. And Chris could only stare in shock.

"You look like a mess, Redfield, and I was the one shot. Go home and sleep. Barry, take over for him today." Wesker did not let it faze him at all that people were staring in shock. Watching them from behind his reserve pair of dark shades he glanced around. Granted, he looked somewhat paler, but he blamed that on the fluorescent light of the office. The bandages around his chest were highly uncomfortable, but easy to hide beneath his shirt and vest. He looked much better than Chris himself.

"How are you here?" Jill walked closer, staring at the man as though she couldn´t believe he was right there.

"I drove here, of course. I had to catch up on the day and a half of work I missed because of the hospital, so I came in early. One day and the office is a mess already. Jill, make sure Redfield gets home safely and sleeps. I expect him back tomorrow to finish his reports."

"But... I resigned." Chris´ voice sounded so small as he tried to speak, unable to take his eyes off the man. He looked... the same as always. But that was impossible. Flashes of the man in his arms, unconscious and bleeding, made his hands shake once more.

"No. You tried to resign and I refused. I chose each of you for my team personally, based on my criteria, and I will not go through that mess again, especially when it comes to my Pointman." He could feel that intense blue gaze on him even though the shades. Chris opened his mouth to say something, to protest...

"Captain, shouldn´t you be home and resting? You were shot, not scratched by a cat! And you shouldn´t be working or even standing! How did that hack of a doctor allow you to leave?" Jill sounded really concerned and she was, voicing what everyone else in the room was thinking. Joseph was staring with his mouth open and the only one composed was Barry, aside from Wesker himself. Nobody seemed to care much where Brad was...

"Don´t be ridiculous. I signed the papers and left before he could try anything more and I feel perfectly fine. I don´t need to rest."

"You were _shot_!"

"Yes, I was there, Jill." Wesker´s tone didn´t sound amused at all and he stared at her as she narrowed her eyes. Disobedience this early in the morning didn´t sound well with him. First Joseph´s annoying whistling was grating at his ears, then the mess Chris left at his desk annoyed him and now the fool tried to resign and Jill was just being too loud and unnecessarily worried.

"You´re not fine."

"I assure you I-"

"You are leaning against the doorway to the office more than usually." Chris commented softly before he could stop himself and he could feel the glare Wesker sent his way. "A-and I mean it. I will write another form and-"

"And I will burn it if I have to. You are not allowed to resign from my team, Christopher. Now, go home and sleep. I want you in perfect condition tomorrow." Wesker turned on his heel, a bit slower than he would usually, and took one step inside his office before Jill started again.

"You know, considering how you are sending Chris home to rest, shouldn´t you be doing the same? Captain, we can handle everything here without you for a while. Barry will be on our asses to get things done and we will all be able to concentrate better without having to worry about you all the time. I bet that´s why Chris looks like shit. He was so worried about you he made himself sick." The lack of a reply from the man was all the answer she needed. "So how about you go home as well? And I promise that we´ll take care of everything."

"I assure you, Jill, that I am perfectly-"

"Oh, for fuck´s sake, Wesker, just listen to her and go home!" Barry´s voice startled them all and surprised Wesker enough to make the man turned around briefly. "I can deal with them for a few days or even weeks and you need to lead by example, so go home and rest before Jill decides to play nurse as well. You don´t want that to happen. I´ll talk to Marini if anything happens and give you a call even before that, but shit´s been calm, so go home! You and Redfield are worse than Moira and Polly and they are little girls who argue all the time about dolls!"

The comparison has driven his point home rather well and the Alpha team got to watch Wesker go to his office, the door remaining open as he took his jacket and slowly put it on, the pain finally showing in the gesture, then grabbed something from his desk and walked out. "Very well then. I expect to see the station still stand when I return. And I will be making regular calls to ensure you are not creating a chaos of my system, Burton."

"Wouldn´t dream of it. Jill, take care of Chris while-"

"No need. I will give Redfield a ride home to ensure he gets the stupid idea of any resignations out of his head. Come." And Chris did, following obediently, staring down at the floor as he did not say a word. He heard Jill whisper about dropping by tomorrow, but that didn´t matter. 

Wesker´s car was just like the man. Perfect. A sleek black vehicle, elegant, yet powerful, suitable for a man like that. Chris felt wrong just standing close and getting in... at least his clothes were clean and Wesker hadn´t set a towel down before motioning for him to get in. The leather seats were soft, but he could only stare at the dashboard as the man drove off. How Wesker knew where he lived, Chris had no idea.

"Put the ridiculous hood off, Redfield." The hint of annoyance was enough to make him do as he was ordered to, his hair a mess that was even worse than usual. When the car stopped at a red light he saw the brief pain the drive was giving Wesker. The seatbelt had to be digging into his chest, right over the wounds. Yet his hair was slicked back and his expression remained stoic. As though nothing at all happened.

"You look like you´re about to cry and judging by the redness of your eyes, you did that already. So don´t. You made a mistake, but saved the hostage. Nobody died and-"

"You almost died." The words caused Wesker to look at him and for a moment he could only stare, lost in a sea of blue. 

_Huh?_

He hadn´t even noticed that Wesker took the shades off and was staring straight at him now. His heart felt like it might try to escape straight through his chest and he could not think. Could not speak. Nothing made sense as he just stared into the intense gaze.

"But I didn´t. And more importantly: you didn´t, Christopher. But, according to Jill and Burton, we both require rest and as such, shall humour them. You look worse for wear than I do." The shades were back on the man´s face when the light turned green and Chris noticed that they lived in the same direction. Though probably in different places. Not that his apartment was in the slums, but it wasn´t anything fancy. Wesker´s was probably... perfect.

"You will take care of yourself properly, Redfield. You will sleep, eat, shave and I expect to have my best man ready to back me up when I return to the office full time once more. Understood?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Good." The car stopped and he realized that they were right outside his apartment, one of his elderly neighbours standing outside with her dog. Unbuckling the seatbelt he reached for the door handle when Wesker´s voice stopped him again. "And I don´t want to see you cry anymore. It´s not like you, Redfield."

"I wasn´t-"

"Don´t even try to lie to me." There was a strange warning in the man´s voice and Chris ended up nodding, getting out of the car and stared at the man for a moment.

"Thank you, Captain."

"Redfield?"

"Yes?"

"Do not eavesdrop on my conversations, either." He saw the man smirk before the engine roared, the car speeding off, leaving a stunned Chris behind before a dog bark startled him out of the daze.


	3. Unexpected visitors

He was stunned. Back in his apartment, Chris walked as if in a dream, making his way to the bathroom and for a good five minutes just stared at the mess in the corner. Then slowly he pulled out his service gun, then his badge, carefully cleaning everything. Getting bloodstains out... cold water and salt? He heard Jill talk about it to someone once, so it should work. Soaking the items he ignored the growl from his stomach, aware that the only edible things he had at home were cup noodles and... that was actually it. He wasn´t used to being at home like this. Being ordered to rest.

Hand washing the clothes took longer than he thought it would, over an hour by the time he was done, but the stains actually came out. The water looked disgusting, but the detergent was strong enough to cover up any stench. And for a while he just sat there on the floor, staring at them, wondering if this morning even happened. It wasn´t even noon when he realized that he was starving, bur ordering food would take too long. Chris felt simply defeated as he stripped down and crawled into bed, not even bothering to put his clothes away.

He was asleep before he could think of anything other than Wesker´s eyes.

Waking up to loud knocking on his door he was tempted to just ignore it, burrowing beneath the covers. He could just stay there for the rest of his life and no one would know, right?

"Chris, open the door or I´m picking the lock!"

Or not. Groaning he sat up, feeling dazed as he made his way to the front door and slowly unlocked it, still mid-yawn as his eyes focused on Jill standing there with two boxes from their favourite pizza place. "Took you long enough. Nice boxers." 

He looked down, staring at the underwear before closing the door as she made her way inside. The food smelled so fucking good! He didn´t bother with clothes just yet, just followed her and the moment the box opened he grabbed a slice, effectively burning his tongue on the hot cheese as he bit down, but that didn´t stop him from devouring it.

"That was an interesting morning. And I can´t believe you tried to resign!" She headed to his kitchen, easily finding the coffee and started on two mugs. Chris never had any tea. "After he saved your life like that, I mean I never saw him move so quickly and it was so scary. You didn´t even see his face, did you? So fucking intense and-"

"Shut up..." Walking out of the bedroom, dressed in his sweatpants and the black shirt from before, he grabbed another slice and sat down on his couch. "Just... don´t talk it about it. I don´t want to hear it."

"Chris?" 

"I thought he died. All because I didn´t follow an order. I went against orders before and it all went fine and if I would get shot it would have been my fault and that´s fine. But he... his blood was all over me and he could have died!"

"Chris-"

"No! It´s my fault he ended up shot and in a hospital and he should have just let me resign or just fire me and get rid of me for-"

_"Chris!!"_ He stopped rambling and looked at her, tears once more blurring his vision. "Do you really think he would fire you after saving your life like that? If anything, it should show you how much he wanted to keep you on his team... keep you alive." Opening the fridge she checked the date on his milk, relieved to see it was still fine, unlike last time, and poured some in each mug.

"But I nearly-"

"No, you have to stop thinking about it like that! You saved the girl´s life for one and were ready to put your own on the line. And he was willing to do the same for you, which is why he put himself between you and the bullets." Jill walked over to the man, setting the cup in front of him before pushing the pizza closer. "Eat. You look like hell."

This time he did so without arguing, silently eating as he tried to ignore the awful feeling that wouldn´t go away. "I´m glad Barry managed to get you two to go home. Wesker needs rest. Even if he thinks he´s Superman or something, he was shot and should take it easy. No rash movement, no work, just be able to relax. Though I bet he has paperwork to do at home. I should check on him and bring him something to eat. Knowing him... he didn´t eat anything either."

Musing out loud, Jill watched Chris nod in agreement. Wesker was the type to work even from home, burying himself in his office until everything was done and until then he would not move. But after being shot he should be lying down and resting. Yet the man drove him home instead, letting the seatbelt dig into his chest, probably causing him more pain and didn´t let anything show. It was actually annoying. What would it take to draw some emotions out of the man?

"We should visit him. Once you eat and clean up a bit."

"What-no!" Nearly choking on his bite of the pizza, Chris stared at her as though she grew another head. "We can´t do that! _I_ can´t do that!"

"Why not?" Curious to hear his excuse, Jill leaned forward, watching Chris frown and think hard of what to say.

"I just can´t... He probably hates me now. Late reports or bad ones, I keep going against orders and coming in late because I overslept and now he got shot because of me. I´m not good at this whole... S.T.A.R.S. thing. I´m just embarrassing him in the long run and I really should just quit."

"Chris... you worked harder than anyone to improve since day one. I saw your results when you first came and the latest ones from two weeks ago. And each time you stay in late to work on any reports he tells you to and then oversleep because of that and make up for the time later anyway. And you going against orders actually saved lives before. Just like the little girl´s. You heard the man. He picked the best for his team and you are one of them." She touched his shoulder, squeezing gently and he looked at her.

"So finish eating and then we are going to pick something up for Wesker and visit him, alright? He needs someone to remind him to relax and not work. And you look like you need more reassurance that he´s still alive." He hated it when Jill was right and after a moment gave a weak nod, barely able to finish another slice before his weakened stomach decided it was enough.

"I´m gonna put some clothes on." Muttering he got off the couch, finishing the coffee and actually felt better. First things first, Chris shaved in the bathroom, wincing as he managed to nick himself twice. A man his age should be able to do this in his sleep, but... sometimes it was just too stressful. Fixing his hair as well so it looked like the usual mess he put his clothes back on and after a moment of hesitation, which were actually two minutes until Jill yelled at him to hurry up, Chris took the black shirt off and instead put his S.T.A.R.S. shirt back on, a sense of pride filling him that very instant. Black hoodie back on he pocketed the broken shades without a second thought and grabbed his keys and badge.

"There´s the Chris I know. Alright, let´s go."

\---

The ride to Wesker´s place didn´t take too long, though they both needed to flash their badges at the doorman before he let them in. Their Captain really did live in a fancy place. Taking the elevator to the top floor, Jill kept watching the nervous man as he held the pizza box. She had doubts Wesker even ate something like that, but too bad. Neither Jill, nor Chris, cooked, at least nothing too good, and everyone loved pizza.

"Captain!" She knocked on the door, loudly announcing her presence while Chris lingered behind her, feeling nervous once more. What if Wesker was asleep? What if he passed out from pain? What if-

The door swung open and the blond could not possibly look more annoyed as he stared at the two. Though when he saw Chris standing there the scowl softened considerably. "Why are you yelling outside my door? In fact, why are you outside of my apartment, Jill? Redfield?"

"We came to see how you´re doing and we brought you dinner since you probably haven´t eaten all day. And you don´t look like you´ve been resting, either." Still dressed in the clothes from that morning, Wesker´s hair was still smoothed back and from his face. If anything, he looked the same as when someone interrupted him while working.

"We all have our ways to rest. And I assure you I can take care of myself without anyone interfering."

"Then what did you eat today?" When no reply came for a few seconds, Jill smiled.

"I don´t see how that is any-"

"So you didn´t. Come on, the pizza is still warm and Chris was really anxious to see you again. He´s still worried and so are the rest of us, Captain." What was it about Jill that made her so convincing? Perhaps it was the French charm that she had in her, but even Wesker ended up stepping inside, one arm held out as he invited them in after a moment of silence.

"At least Redfield is looking better. Your work, I presume?" Closing the door when the two entered, Chris realized that he had never seen the inside of Wesker´s apartment. He imagined it, of course, and in his head it was simply elegant, like the catalogue rooms, pristine and modern and... he was kinda right.

Dark colours filled the place and there seemed to be no personal items anywhere. Not a speck of dust, either. A thick black carpet laid in the middle of the living area, hardwood floors covering the rest. Black leather furniture and some papers were neatly arranged on the glass coffee table. Even the curtains were black, drawn to block out any sunlight. So highly modern and impressive. And his kitchen was so sleek and polished. Chris didn´t doubt that everything about his apartment was perfect.

"Please, have a seat. And once you have made sure that I am not in fact dying or working myself to death, refrain from bothering me again." He definitely didn´t sound pleased about the surprise visit and Chris wasn´t surprised at all. Awkwardly he stood there, holding the box with the pizza still, unsure of what to do. This kind of thing didn´t look right here! 

"Where´s your kitchen towels? Or tissues will be fine. That´s all you really need to eat pizza." Jill certainly didn´t give a damn, already opening one cupboard after another until she found the roll of paper towels and decided it would do. "Chris! Found them! Tear some off while I get some water." And Wesker let her, almost... amused? Chris thought he saw a smile on his face for a second, but it could have just been the light.

"So, how´s work going?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Your ring finger has ink stains on them on the side. Which shows that you were definitely writing something and the ink didn´t dry completely." Chris hadn´t even noticed that, but when Wesker held up his hand and saw the blue stain he didn´t even try to deny it.

"Rather well, considering I can enjoy peace and quiet. Or at least I could, until now." He wasn´t happy about the interruption, even less about the prospect of greasy food, but Chris saw the lack of anything in the dry sink, the trashcan empty as well. The man hadn´t eaten anything all day, but looked no worse for wear.

"You have to rest, Captain. Even if you think you are like Superman or something, you were badly hurt. And even now you are slightly hunching over to avoid putting pressure on the wounds, right? You should be lying down and have someone take care of you." Jill was right, but he could not agree, too fascinated by the sight of Wesker trying to eat pizza with his hands, avoiding touching any of the surface with his fingers, using a folded paper towel instead. It was bizarre and oddly... endearing.

"I assure you that I do not require a caretaker. I am older than either of you and learned to take care of myself from a young age. Eat, both of you, as I have no desire to have this greasy garbage anywhere in my apartment after you leave and you will be either throwing out the empty box or whatever remains." Chris obeyed, even though he felt full, his stomach heavy. Wesker didn´t like pizza, so what did he like? What did he eat even? He knew the man drank coffee, black most of the time, but... had he ever seen him eat?

And the comment about taking care of himself sounded strangely sad. It made Chris want to ask why, how he grew up. He only ever saw Wesker as the perfect Captain that he was and realized that he knew nothing about him. His favourite food or what he hated. What kind of music he liked, if any at all. Where he grew up, if he had any siblings... he knew nothing about the man, except that he was a genius and had the most amazing pair of blue eyes Chris had ever seen.

"Redfield!" Snapping out of it, Chris jumped and his eyes focused on the man. There it was again, that tiny smile and this time it wasn´t just his imagination! "I asked if you are feeling better. You look the part, except for the spots where you cut yourself while shaving. I assume you don´t use a straight razor?"

"What? Ah, that´s just... happens sometimes. And no, I don´t. I tried once, but I worried about cutting my neck so I kinda... a plain razor is fine. But, yes... I feel better. Jill came over and... helped."

"I have no doubt she did." Something about the way Wesker said that made Chris stare for longer than he should and he couldn´t tell if the man´s eyes were on him or not. Did he wear the shades all the tie, even when alone? Why? His eyes were stunning! Or were they perhaps sensitive? Not that he could outright ask something so personal. 

"You know, I just thought of something great!" Jill´s voice made them both look at her and neither man wanted to admit they were afraid to hear. "Captain, you really need someone to just make sure you rest and take the medicine that I am sure the doctor forced on you and don´t even pretend he didn´t. Someone to make sure that you don´t work when you should be resting, that you eat properly and don´t try to sneak into the station at night to work." Wesker didn´t like the sound of this at all. But she wasn´t done.

"And Chris feels awful, keeps blaming himself and needs more than a bit of reassurance. You saw the state he was in and he wanted to resign. His trashcan was full of those forms that he kept trying to fill out-"

"Jill!"

"It is! So, to kill two birds with one stone, Chris will simply take care of you make sure you recover properly and thus he can make up for rushing into things and help you get better. Plus you two get to spend some quality time together as Captain and Pointman without Joseph whistling those awful jingles or Barry talking about his kids. Or Brad being Brad."

"Or you shouting?" Wesker noted, causing her to smile.

"Basically."

"Jill, the Captain needs proper rest and not someone like me hanging around being a nuisance. I already caused more than enough trouble. Your idea is-"

"Not a bad one, Valentine. Doesn´t seem to be a spur of the moment idea either. I imagine that the pizza box was not that heavy as to require two people to be brought over." Wesker leaned back studying her while Chris sat there, stunned. She planned this somehow and he didn´t even notice? "I take it, you assumed I would argue and deem it unnecessary, which I by the way do. Tell me, did you presume that he would stay here full time since you are worried about me sneaking off at night to work from my S.T.A.R.S. office?"

"You figured out everything else without me telling you directly."

"I will take that as a yes. Very well... setting back the recovery would mean that I cannot return to work for a longer period of time, which I am sure no one wants. The question is, whether Redfield is ready to assume such responsibility and spend more time with me than ever before. It is one thing to know the man you are supposed to obey at work and to know him in private. Well, Redfield?" Wesker´s eyes were on him again and he felt the gaze through his shades. And stared right back.

He had to say no. There was no way he could do this when this morning he was ready to never even see him again. Play a nurse for... who even knew how long? Take care of him? Chris could barely take care of himself, couldn´t even cook and his younger sister was better at being an adult already than he, an actual adult, was. This was a bad idea, simply ridiculous and there was nothing he could possibly do to help the man recover quicker. If anything, he would manage to set back the recovery even more. But the eyes continued to stare into his very soul and when he opened his mouth to refuse...

"I´ll do it."


	4. Learning

It was all Jill´s fault! Or at least that was what Chris kept telling himself as he tried to pack a few of his things he might need the next few days. Things like his toothbrush, his shampoo and towel, though then he recalled Wesker telling him he wouldn´t need any since he had plenty. He still kept it there, something about the idea of using a towel Wesker used before, even if perfectly washed and as good as new, making him feel odd. He only needed one change of clothes and glaring at the duffel bag on his bed.

Wesker asked if he had an apron. Then smirked when a confused Chris asked why.

If he was expected to cook, then he was screwed. He never cooked and boiling water to pour into a cup of noodles didn´t count. But if the man could not, or rather should not, stand for longer periods of time in a place like the kitchen and ordering in was not only expensive, but a pain, then cooking seemed the right way to go. He did have that one book Claire gave him when he moved in and he never even opened it...

_Easy recipes for any bachelor to show off_

What an annoying title, but as he finally leafed through he realized that they were not that bad. Actually... doable. Tossing it in as well he wondered if he needed anything else, but this seemed to be it. So for the next two hours he busied himself cleaning up around his place, prolonging the time before he had to go back to Wesker. All his clothes ended up neatly folded, he changed his bed sheets and made the bed, even washed all his mugs, but when there was nothing left to do he just sat there and tried to figure out why in the world he agreed to do this.

Hell, he was about to refuse, claim that he was the last person who should be taking care of another living creature. Taking care of Claire when she was growing up was hard, but he managed. Because his sister was like an adult, often knew better what to do. He was good at shooting things or knowing what to do and semi-following orders. This kind of thing was... impossible. Wesker would fire him before the week was over for sure.

With nothing else to do, Chris stood up and grabbed his bag, then took the list Wesker neatly wrote down from his pocket. Even his handwriting was impeccable. Chris didn´t even know how to sign his name in cursive, but Wesker... fuck. The more he thought about it, the more he saw how different they were. Like day and night, always clashing and it was a small miracle the man could stand to be near him at all.

His first task, a test, so to speak, as Wesker put it. Groceries. Since he hadn´t had the time to get any lately, busy with work and then with the hospital, the task now fell to Chris. And it was hard to imagine someone like Wesker doing his own shopping, picking out vegetables and carrying bags. Well, he probably drove, but still. Then the image of a neatly dressed Wesker carrying a paper bag of groceries with a content smile entered his face and he knew he would never get rid of it. Even that image was wonderful.

Locking up he left a note that simply said _At Wesker´s_ on his kitchen table and left, going straight to the store that Wesker mentioned frequenting. To his surprise, it was just a normal grocery store. No chandeliers, no classical music, no butlers to push your cart... in fact, Chris went here a few times before himself. That made things easier, albeit stranger. But the shopping took precedence over his wonder.

Filling up the cart took a while and he knew that he got more things than were on the paper. That boring paper. And since he would be taking care of the groceries, Wesker wouldn´t find out. Loading everything onto the belt he briefly heard someone scoff behind him before moving to another line, but it wasn´t worth seeing who it was. Instead he tried to help bag everything, aware that he might have overdone it now. So many things... carrying that would be a pain. But he would manage. He had to. Besides, he was a strong guy and could use this as a bit of a workout. His arms have been improving lately...

But by the time he actually reached the building they felt ready to fall off. Making a stop only when he was at the entrance he was surprised to find the doorman get the door for him and call the elevator. "Captain Wesker has already notified the staff that you are expected over the next few days and to let you come and go as you please, Mr. Redfield." Nobody ever called him 'Mr.' Unless heavy sarcasm was involved. Chris was barely able to thank the man as he loaded the bags and himself into the elevator and once the door closed, leaned against the wall.

This was it. He was spending a few days with his boss, who nearly died because of him and there was no way he would not think about that every couple hours at least. When the elevator came to a halt he dragged everything out, feeling tired already, but before he could shakily get the key Wesker gave him, the door swung open and the man stood there. Along with a woman.

Her legs seemed to go on forever, ending in red heels and he could only stare before he manage to pick his jaw off the floor and actually saw her face. Asian, her dark eyes staring at him in amusement and the tiniest hint of a smirk on her lips. The short hair looked good on her, but even better looked the business suit she wore, a briefcase in one hand. His gaze shifted to Wesker who did not look pleased to see Chris struggling with the bags right outside the door and the woman caught on too quickly.

"I´ll take my leave then since your new entertainment arrived, Wesker. Don´t worry, I´ll take care of it for you. See you later." She winked, _winked!_ at the blond man and slowly walked off, hips swaying like she was a catwalk model. She had the walk down at least.

"If you are done staring, Redfield, I would prefer to close the door."

"R-right, sorry!" Lifting the bags again came easier this time and he quickly moved them all to the kitchen, away from the man´s view so he would not see some of the things Chris bought. Though he doubted that Wesker liked candy or junkfood, he could try feeding him something more fun than... vegetables. It took a while to figure out where everything went and he still felt every bit as awkward as before, if not more. Because there was no Jill around this time to help or make things worse.

"Did you get everything on the list?" Wesker was still there, leaning against the wall and Chris knew the eyes were watching him from behind the dark shades. Why did he keep wearing them even inside?

"Yes. And... then some, just to make sure. I also found a cookbook my sister gave me, so I should be able to make something." He couldn´t fuck up a recipe if he would follow it exactly, right? He could follow directions like that. He had to.

"Your sister... I believe she´s attending college?" Looking to Wesker again he stared at the man in shock, startled that he knew this.

"Y-yea, Claire... how do you-"

"I make it my business to know about my team. So I know about you and your family situation as well, Redfield."

"That´s... weird." Muttering he put away the last tomato and satisfied rolled up the bags. They could be used later. Right now he should... what should he do, anyway? "Um, sir? Is there anything you want me to do?"

"Don´t get in the way or make a mess of the place should be good for a start. I´ll be in the office." Wesker turned on his heel, leaving a stunned Chris to stand in the kitchen alone. Don´t get in the way? The man should be resting and not working. That was the reason he was here. To take care of Wesker and not just sit there in silence.

The minute of stunned silence passed quickly and before he knew it, Chris was making his way to the office, knocking on the dark door before entering without waiting to be actually allowed in. The office was larger than the one at the station, more elegant as well. A heavy wooden desk sat in front of the window (curtains drawn again, he noticed), and Wesker sat behind it, already working on something once more, the blue light of the computer screen giving him a pale glow.

"Is there anything you need, Redfield?" He didn´t even bother looking up!

"Yes. You need to rest and not work. That´s why I´m here, right? So... please go to bed, sir." And there were words that he never thought he would say to the man.

"I appreciate the concern, but I don´t plan on leaving my work unfinished for the day."

"The day?" Chris frowned, walking over to the desk and saw the files Wesker had there. He had been working all the time Chris was gone? "You need to be resting. Sir, you were shot and I know that you know. But that´s all the more reason... I mean you would be better off at a hospital with a trained professional watching over you instead of me, but since I am here, I´m going to make sure you rest." 

Wesker set the pen he held down and finally looked at him. And Chris stared right back, his own reflection showing him the determination he wasn´t even aware of. "And how, pray tell, do you plan on doing that?"

"Well, I could always get your girlfriend to come back and make you rest."

"That woman and I are not affiliated with each other like that. We are colleagues at best. And besides, there is place for only one annoying brunet in my life and that spot is already taken by you, Redfield." He could have said Jill, should have said her name perhaps, but instead Wesker said his, catching Chris off-guard for a second.

"Then... I´m going to annoy you until you go to bed or drag you there. I´ve been working on my strength so I´m pretty sure I could do that." For a second it felt like the eyes were moving over his body, but he didn´t relent. "You need to rest and recover so we can all go back to the station together and continue doing the good work."

"Oh, so I take it your resignation is officially off the table?" Wesker was smirking again that tiny quirk of his lips.

"... yes. Because if I fucked up, I will make up for it now. Starting by getting you in bed." He hadn´t realized what he said until it was too late and the heat crept up from beneath his shirt, into his cheeks.

"Your insistence is amusing, but I still have-"

"The work won´t go anywhere, Captain. And neither am I. So you can come along willingly or-... or I will carry you there!" And he believed that he definitely could do that. Never mind that Wesker was taller or older or had a better body, Chris had pure willpower and determination on his side. And he was stubborn.

The eyes on him always made him feel strange and lately he had that feeling a lot. But when Wesker stood up and walked around the desk, facing him directly, he felt like he won, or got one step closer to winning. He agreed that he would do this, wanted to make up for what he caused and this was the first of many hurdles to overcome, no doubt.

"Very well then, I had a long time, I guess retiring early won´t be that bad for once. Sleeping in the hospital wasn´t possible-"

"You haven´t slept? That´s it!" Without thinking, which was nothing new for Chris, he grabbed the man´s arm and gently pulled him towards the door and to his surprise the man followed. Perhaps to humour him, perhaps because he was tired after all, but what mattered was the fact that he did and Chris only hesitated when it came to opening the bedroom door. This felt so... private. Almost wrong.

But he did it anyway, pushing the door open. Another dark room, the dominant piece the large bed. Black sheets as well... did Wesker have some kind of morbid, dark side that no one knew about? But even here, everything was impeccable. But he wasn´t here to sightsee and let go of the man the moment they were inside, staring at him for a moment. "You should... probably take a bath to relax. I will make dinner since it´s late and you didn´t like the pizza. I-I can help you with the bandages later."

"I thought you wanted me to sleep. Now you are telling me to bathe and wait for you to cook?"

"That was... before I realized that you need to eat something normal and that the bandages need changing. And a bath will help you relax." Chris really hoped he was making sense as he tried to explain his thoughts, but it sounded like ramblings and he knew that the man was mocking him behind the dark shades. But then Wesker let out a sound that he could only call a chuckle and reached up, taking off the shades.

What was it about seeing the man´s eyes that stunned him each time? The intense blue was warm instead of ice-cold and he couldn´t even think when Wesker stared at him like that. Watching him set the shades down on a dresser he turned his head, staring after him as Wesker casually stripped off his shirt, revealing the thick bandages beneath. And even in the darkness of the room, Chris saw the darker spots in the middle.

"There´s an apron in the hallway closet. Use it, lest you make a mess of your clothes. And before you say it; no, I won´t need help bathing and will not call you either way. So unless you plan to actually watch me strip down, I suggest you leave." Chris fled.

\---

Cooking was not that hard when he could follow a recipe. Pasta was simple enough as it was, though he cheated with the already dried tortellini. And he actually had to figure out the amount of salt to use in the water (what the hell kind of measure was a 'pinch', anyway?), but other than that he was doing fine. The sauce itself didn´t look bad, but after a while... it just seemed bland. The taste was fine, but just nothing special. Frowning at the pot he leafed through the book again before cursing and taking out his bulky cell phone. He hated the thing, so large and heavy, but he had to admit that it was useful. He only got it because of Claire, anyway...

Which was actually perfect right now. Since Wesker was still probably in the bathroom, Chris had some time left and quickly dialled her number, kneeling behind the counters as though he had to be secret about it.

"Claire?... yea, hi... no, everything´s fine, but listen... no, really, everything´s fine, I´m just trying to cook and the sauce is boring... no, nothing happened... I don´t have a girlfriend... or that either. Sheesh, I just need to know how to make a cream sauce better. It´s going on some kind of pasta stuffed his meat; torte-something... oh, yea, I have that... how much is a clove?... oh, okay. Thanks... no, I really don´t. I´m just taking care of my boss for a bit and... it´s a long story. I´ll tell you when you come visit. Okay, I gotta go, thanks!" He ended the call before she could ask about his boss being his boyfriend.

Claire knew that he liked men. She noticed that probably before he did, since he never looked at women in the way other men did. But his focus was always either on his sister or on his career and never on relationships and that didn´t change even now. Adding the clove of garlic, carefully cleaned and chopped into tiny pieces he winced when he added another cut to his fingers. This was the worst part about cooking. No matter, he wasn´t going to stop, adding the spices Claire told him to and then he was done. The sauce tasted much better now.

He let the pasta drain before deciding that he should probably see if Wesker was alright. There has been no sound from the bathroom or the bedroom at all and he was worried. Not even knocking, Chris stepped into the bedroom only to see the half-naked man seated on the bed, wrapping a somewhat loose bandage around his waist, frustration in his face. And his hair was falling into his forehead, damp and silky and Chris stared before realizing that he could actually help.

"Hey, let me do that."

"Redfield. I recall telling you-"

"And we established that I have a problem following orders and that got you into this mess." Saying it out loud caused silence to fill the room for a moment and after that, Wesker handed him the bandage, the rest falling away from his chest and pooled around his waist. He already glued the sterile patches to his chest and back, so Chris didn´t get to see the actual entry wound and he was thankful for that.

"Can you... lift your arms for a bit?" Wesker complied without a word and Chris watched the man´s arms move. At least this was something he knew how to do well. In the Air Force, he did this a lot, one of the few who passed medical training with flying colours. Wrapping the bandage just tightly enough around the ma´s chest to ensure it would not slide down, yet not too much so it would get uncomfortable, Chris focused purely on what he was doing, ignoring how close he was to his Captain, ignoring how often his hands touched the man´s skin. Wesker was really pale though...

"Are your eyes sensitive? You always wear those shades, even at home..."

"Something like that." Shuddering as he heard him speak he made the mistake of looking up and realized just how close they were. He could clearly see the blue in the man´s eyes, the intensity of the gaze burning now. Wesker had surprisingly long lashes, too, though with how fair they were it was hard to tell. His sculpted jaw, perfectly shaved, of course, not even the smallest hint of any past nicks while shaving. The man could be a model. He should be.

" _Christopher_ , are you quite done?"

"Huh-oh, yea!" Pulling away he affixed the end of the bandage to the rest and hastily pulled away. "Dinner´s almost ready, so just, get dressed, if you want, and then you can eat."

_"We."_

"Huh?"

"We can eat. Since you will be staying here for what I assume are at least a few days, or until Jill will get off my back, we will end up doing some things together, which includes eating meals." Wesker stood up and retrieved a plain black shirt from his closet that clung to his torso, hugging every muscle, but now also showed off the bandages beneath. Skilled fingers brushed through his hair and Chris watched it be slicked back into the usual style with so little effort. The last touch, were the shades, of course.

"Yea... I guess that makes sense."

"Although I wonder if she expect us to share a bed, considering that I have no guestroom."

"What-no! I mean the couch is probably more comfortable than my own bed, so definitely not." Chris watched the man raise a brow and muttered something about finishing up in the kitchen as he fled the room. Wesker just seemed to enjoy messing with him now! Sleep in the same bed? What kind of grown men did that aside from... the ones who actually did other things in the same bed...

"Relax, Redfield. I thought that with your determination from before, and with how hard you tried to get me into bed-"

"To rest! Not to..." Turning around he stared at the man and again he saw that smirk on his face. Staring in shock he realized too late what was going on and his cheeks were burning once more as he quickly finished setting the table. The heat was gone as he focused on the food and he was actually proud of how it turned out. But before they would eat there was something else as well. Setting two small orange bottles in front of Wesker he watched the teasing smirk vanish and be replaced by a frown. "I found these in the trash. That´s the medicine you were given, right? Captain, you need to-"

"I don´t need painkillers or anti-coagulants, I assure you. If anything, they would both be a waste and mess with my body as it is. I appreciate the concern, but I know my own physiology better than that hack of a doctor." Wesker picked up the bottles and set them on the counter, away from his sight, once more looking to Chris who didn´t look pleased at all. "The medicine would intervene with some other things and be rendered ineffective, if not dangerous, Redfield. But with you around, I don´t need to worry about getting worse."

"But-"

"How about this: if I start feeling worse, I will tell you."

"Would you really though? I mean you keep hiding that the wounds bother you and try to keep cool in front of others, so what is stopping you from doing the same in front of me?"

"I don´t want to see your sad face. I think I had plenty to last me a lifetime, if not two." Now that wasn´t an answer Chris expected and he thought he would see that smirk on the man´s face once more, but Wesker was being serious. With nothing to say, Chris could only nod, weakly, setting the tea on the table as well, hoping he steeped it for the right amount of time. In one day he learned more things than he had in the past year.

"By the way, the apron look great on you. Keep it."


	5. Poetry and Wine

After a couple of days, Chris decided it was not as bad as it could be. In fact, it was kinda nice to be able to see Wesker outside of work. To see the perfect Captain they looked up to in his natural habitat, even if calling it that might be a stretch. The office, the shooting range, action itself, was more his thing. But at home, Wesker was equally calm and composed, only showing emotion when Chris caught him working on something when he should be resting. After the third time he seemed to get the message and instead of being hunched over his desk he spent most of his time reading.

_Poetry._

There were other things. Science articles and books, things Chris didn´t understand himself, but there was poetry as well. It Chris found it fascinating.

He also ceased to wear his shades around Chris so much, which was equally shocking to the man, especially since he could feel the Captain´s eyes on him each time he redid the bandages after he showered. At least it stopped being as awkward, but the feeling never fully left. And Chris would never admit that he enjoyed the sight of Wesker with his hair not in that perfect, slicked back look.

Now the man was reading again, lounging on the couch where Chris slept every night and it really was more comfortable than his bed, which made him look into getting a new mattress at least. For now though, he was fine with this. He could feel the gaze on him as he put the apron on, deciding that since evening was drawing close he might as well start cooking. He tried to cook without it once and managed to get grease on one of his two shirts, which in turn prompted Wesker to ask in a teasing voice why he chose to forgot the protective clothing.

And also ask him if he wished to find something in the older man´s closet since this left him without a shirt to change into. Sure, Chris could always go to his place instead and get a new one, but the worry of Wesker using that time to work or strain himself lingered. 

"I can just sleep naked and wear that. And I´ll wash the dirty one later." And he did, which was why it was now slowly drying in the bathroom. Washing the tomatoes he picked up the knife, already looking at the recipe in the book, determined to try all of them since Wesker actually liked the pasta sauce. Improving on what was written seemed easy. Just add one spice or another and follow the time directions. Easy enough.

"Ouch!" Pulling his hand away he stuck his bleeding finger into his mouth, glaring at the tomato that slipped from his grip. This was the one thing he hated about cooking though. Constantly he kept cutting himself and the cuts stung like hell when he did the dishes. Another thing he made sure Wesker stayed away from. Picking up the knife again after a moment he nearly dropped it when a voice came from behind him.

"You´re holding it wrong."

"What-why are you up?"

"My Pointman hurt himself and I wanted to see why. And I can definitely see."

"It´s a tomato. There´s no way to hold it wrong-"

"And yet, you seem to have found a way." He was definitely laughing, or at least smiling, but Chris refused to look at the man, already putting the knife to the annoying tomato before a hand covered his own and he nearly jumped again.

"Your fingers..." The hand closed over his own, curling his fingers inward, creating a slope from his knuckles. He could still keep the tomato in place, but his fingers were no longer in the way. "-should always be like this. No matter what you are cutting, this will enable the knife to slide down easily. Like this." He understood, but Wesker´s other hand still reached for the knife and before he could let go, the man´s hand closed over his. 

The knife slid so easily over his knuckles and into the fruit, cutting it neatly and Chris barely registered the motion at all. His mind was racing as he could only think of how warm the man´s hands felt and even his body pressed closer to his own, his back ending up pushed against Wesker´s chest. And after a few seconds, when the man reached for another tomato, he realized he could feel the man´s heartbeat.

"There, see how easy it is?" Warm breath tickled his ear and Chris was vaguely aware that he was whispering. "This way, your fingers will no longer end up hurt and my Pointman will be safe. Your hands are important, Christopher. It would be a shame if you would be so careless." 

Another thing that changed. Yesterday, Wesker stopped calling him by his last time and just used his name. Which no one used. Ever. It was... startling. And with those eyes fixed on him when he said it, Chris felt ready to hide for some reason. 

At least the man seemed to be healing nicely. He really didn´t need the medicine, which was strange, but he didn´t question the man. Not after the first time he did all he received was an icy stare, the same kind when he asked why he didn´t have any photos of his family around. Chris had a lot. A photo of his parents with a baby Claire, many photos of his sister, especially from her high school graduation, photos of S.T.A.R.S., even a rare one of Wesker looking into the camera with his shades and looking content. And a few of the good memories from his Air Force days.

Saying that Wesker had none would be a lie though. He did have one photo of the entire S.T.A.R.S. team, both Alpha and Bravo posing happily, the helicopter in the back and everyone looked just awkward somehow. Except for Wesker. There was no way he could look like that.

When Wesker pulled away, Chris resumed on the tomatoes by himself, using the new technique he learned and easily finished the rest of the vegetables without any more difficulties. Did this mean that Wesker cooked? He didn´t seem the type to stand in a kitchen, but then again, the man did have an apron. And he probably looked much better wearing it.

No matter, Chris was doing his best. Cooking meat was a bit more difficult and he had no idea when exactly it was considered done, but he watched it like a hawk. Chicken breast was not that hard to make, either, which made things easier as he checked on the meticulously cut meat over and over again. It smelled good, looked good, and he added some more spices as well to add more flavour. He felt proud of himself.

The pop of a cork caught his attention and he turned around to see Wesker opening a bottle of wine, two glasses already on the counter in front of him. "This goes exceptionally well with white meat like chicken." The blond man flashed him a smile as he poured the wine into the two glasses and Chris could only trust what he said. He knew nothing about wine. He knew which beer he liked and that whiskey was better cheap and with sugary coke, but that was it. Wine was always so fancy...

Of course Wesker drank wine.

"Should you be drinking alcohol when you are recovering?" Commenting as he turned the burner off he began to arrange the roasted vegetables next to the steaming chicken and rice. It smelled really damn good.

"Since I am not taking any medication I can only say that it will not be interfering with anything. But I appreciate the concern, Christopher." There it was again, that roll of his tongue when he said his name and he focused on the plates before setting them on the dark table, soon, followed by napkins and utensils. Hesitating for a moment, Chris took the apron off as well and neatly folded it up, putting it on one of the chairs at the table. He used it often, so there was no need to bother with the closet.

"You´re improving quickly. Once again, you do not disappoint. Although you became more docile since I was shot." Wesker sat down and Chris slowly did as well, staring at the man. He would never understand him.

"Yea, well, it´s my fault you were shot... I didn´t listen."

"And nearly ended up getting hurt."

"Captain... why did you save me? I mean it would have been my own fault if I got shot or killed and you are more important than I am, so-"

"Christopher!" The way the man said his name made his head snap up and he stared at the man, startled at the anger he saw in his gaze. "Do not ever say something so foolish again. I am not more important than you. Or anyone else. And I would do it again without hesitation. But I doubt we´ll have that problem again." 

"No, sir." Definitely not. He would follow the man´s command, obey him perfectly.

"I told you before. You may have disobeyed and I got hurt-"

_"Shot."_

"... shot, but the hostage was rescued and the man apprehended. I am more upset that Brad saw it fit to flee the situation once more. He may be a great pilot and his computer expertise is important, but there are others out there who won´t run away when danger arises." Distaste showed in the man´s face and he stood up for a moment, curious eyes following him. 

Wesker seemed to be taking something out of one of the cupboards and there was the strike of a match before the lights darkened and his face was illuminated by a single candle and the small kitchen light. "Much better. Ambience is important, remember that." 

"Yes, sir."

"At least when we are alone, you could use my name, Christopher. You don´t seem to have the problem in the heat of the moment, skipping titles and going straight for named. Or are you that scared of me?" He didn´t sound angry, Chris noted, merely amused. Curious even, and there was a soft smile on his lips that appeared even gentle in the candlelight.

"Not... scared. But I respect you. Just like everyone else at the station. We all look up to you, even if it may not show so much... so it´s weird to think of you as... as..."

"As Albert?" The man´s smile was still there.

"As Wesker." Chris breathed out, He would never even dream of calling the man by his first name! He heard a soft chuckle and Wesker reached for the glass of wine.

"All in due time, I guess. I do tend to demand a lot from my team, but I have to ensure that Alpha team stays on top of things. I cannot have Marini thinking his is any better. Especially when it is not. He chose his team based on numbers. I chose mine based on personalities and a far more intense background check than he could possibly dream of." Chris picked up the glass, staring into the blue eyes as a gentle clink sounded from the two glasses touching ever so briefly.

"Background check?" Now this was new to him. When Barry told him to apply, he put his previous experience into the form and his reasons, but... that was it.

"Of course. I knew before I hired you that you were often getting into conflicts with your superiors, arguing about their decisions and had a general problem with their authority. But seeing evidence of your gut feeling being right more often than they were was what made my final decision. That and your impeccable marksmanship."

"You´re better than I am though."

"Yet you still improve and challenge me each time you do. That´s why I consider you my best man. When you question my judgement on a case, I listen, because there´s a reason for that. Your gut feeling saved more lives than you are aware of, Christopher." He was silent, unable to say anything. Being praised so directly was weird. "Just look at your cooking. When you came here, you held a pizza box and claimed you don´t even know how to poach an egg. And now?" Wesker was smiling again.

"I just followed a recipe..."

"Not to a T. You improved upon it, added more and the result is impeccable. You have far more talents than you give yourself credit for, or anyone else gave you. That is why I will not hesitate to stand between you and a bullet again." Head snapping up he watched the man as he calmly sipped the wine.

"Don´t say that!" The surprised look made him stare back down at his knees. "I don´t want you getting shot again... I still feel the... the blood. It was everywhere..."

"Look at me." When the other man didn´t, Chris felt something beneath his chin, his head being lifted and he was made to look at the man. "I´m still alive and right here. And I will be fine, waiting for your next challenge soon. I still have plans for you, Christopher, and death does no figure in them."

"Plans?"

"Enough talk. Eat, before it gets cold." And he did, the dinner a rather silent affair after this, though it was strangely comfortable. The candle provided a really nice ambience and briefly he saw Wesker get up and refill the wine glasses once they were empty. It really did make the chicken taste better.

As he washed the dishes afterward, Wesker put the candle out, but didn´t bother with more light. Instead he turned on the large television, switching through the channels, lingering on the news reports. The wine glasses, one more refilled, sat on the glass table, along with a book of poetry. Chris glanced at it before and even hew read some Shakespeare. In school since he had to. Didn´t remember a thing.

"You read a lot." Chris commented, hesitating before taking a seat on the couch, leaving some space between them. He had no interest in the news sine half of it was just fables made up to anger the public.

"You did make sure that I don´t get any work done, so I figured as might as well enjoy my time and catch up on some reading." Wesker still sounded amused for some reason and Chris quickly drank some of the wine. Sweet, a bit sour, but he liked it. Though it was stronger than the beer he was used to.

"I´m not apologizing for that. You needed the rest. Too stubborn to listen to your own body, you needed someone around to make sure you don´t touch that paperwork. Let Barry take care of that." Chris smiled, content to know that he got Wesker not stop working and think of himself for once. How many times had the man pulled all-nighters at the office to ensure everything was in order? Damn Irons for being such a jackass... that man was just useless. 

"You seem to be dealing better as well, Christopher."

"Why do you call me that?" Chris looked at him, eyes needing a second to focus as he stared at the man. "You´ve been calling me _Redfield_ until now, so what changed?"

"It seemed more appropriate to do so when it is just the two of us, don´t you think? Now, how about you try using my name? Or try at least to ignore any titles, Christopher. I want to hear you say my name."

"Why?"

"Humour me."

"... but it´s weird." Protesting, Chris looked at his half-full glass of wine, deciding that just a bit more would not hurt. He drank the rest in one go, the sweet aftertaste as pleasant as before. Setting the empty glass on the table for a moment he stared at the book. _Shakespeare´s Sonnets_. Such a refined choice.

_"Wesker."_ It felt less strange than he thought it would.

"Now look at me and try again." Tearing his gaze away from the book, Chris looked at him, once more staring into the man´s eyes and words failed him. What was he supposed to say? Oh, right. His name.

_"Albert."_ The blue eyes widened and for a moment he thought he did something wrong. No, surely he did and when the older man moved closer he startled, moving away, arm reaching out to grasp onto something, only to end up knocking the wine glass out of Wesker´s hand and onto the couch.

"Shit!" Within seconds he was up, head cleared from the strange haze as he rushed to grab the kitchen towels, using the last few remaining to mop up the wine from the leather. Wesker merely stood up, watching the man as he brought the empty glasses to the kitchen, seemingly displeased about something. Probably the couch.

"Sorry... I didn´t..."

"Don´t worry about it. It will dry by morning, although this makes it unusable for the night."

"I´ll just sleep on the floor." The carpet was perfectly fine and he knew that it was soft.

"Nonsense," the blond said, walking back to him, taking the paper towels from his hand and tossed them into the trash. "The bed is big enough to accommodate both of us comfortably.

\---

The bed really was big, but that didn´t change how he felt. Terrified. Chris stood there, bare-chested and worried while Wesker retrieved the bandages from the medicine cabinet after the shower. When he came out of the bathroom his damp hair was slicked back and his face was unreadable.

"I´m really fine with the carpet though."

"But _I_ am not." Wesker sat down on the bed and Chris joined him quickly, automatically reaching for the bandage, staring at the patched Wesker had on his chest. He always put them on in the bathroom, probably to spare him the view of the forming scars. Without thinking he reached out to touch the one on his chest, fingertips just barely on the material.

"Does it hurt?"

"No. It´s already healing. I have always been able to recover quickly from any wound, so don´t worry. The bandage is just to ensure the patch won´t come off." Chris nodded, calmly wrapping the bandage around the man´s chest, once more affixing it so it wouldn´t move. When done he went to the bathroom to put the rest away and came back to find the bedcovers pulled back.

"This is weird."

"Is it? I assume that in the Air Force you slept in the same room with other men."

"Not in the same bed though..." He heard Wesker chuckle and knew that this was one fight he would not win. Walking to the other side of the bed he slowly got in, not even surprised to feel how comfortable it was. The covers felt so warm, so soft and the pillow smelled like his Captain.

"See? It´s not that bad." Wesker had his head propped up on his elbow, watching Chris settle in and he felt heat rising to his face. Would it be too rude if he would just turn away from the man? Probably, but being stared at like this was just so strange."

"It feels... nice."

"Of course. I have excellent taste in everything, Christopher, you should know that by now." There was a hidden meaning in the man´s words that he didn´t quite catch and just stared at him for a while, before he reached to turn the nightstand lamp off and the room was bathed in darkness. For a split second he expected those eyes to glow in the dark... "Goodnight, Christopher."

"Goodnight... Wesker." Chris closed his eyes and once he forced himself to stop thinking about sleeping in the same bed as his Captain, sleep came easily to him. He was unaware that the older man watched him sleep, or when he fell asleep himself, but sometime during the night he shifted, moving closer to the other, seeking out the warmth of his body and once he found it, curled up close, arms, loosely resting around Wesker´s strong frame.


	6. I know things about you

Chris couldn´t recall the last time he woke up this well-rested. The bed was so soft and comfortable that he was unwilling to even move and when awareness began to creep up on him only cuddled closer to the warmth that was enveloping him. Something smelled good. Nuzzling closer to the source he smiled, arms wrapped around the firm pillow. Well, it was more like a soft rock. A warm one, too, with a gentle heartbeat that tried to lull him back to sleep.

But rocks didn´t have heartbeats. 

It took a while for that thought to register and the awareness he had been avoiding suddenly returned, his eyes opening. The bedroom was dark, as expected, but he could still see enough to be able to tell that he wasn´t alone. Quite the contrary, considering he was cuddling up to Wesker, whose arms were resting around the male, keeping him close rather effectively.

Chris was trapped and ready to panic.

Afraid to even breathe he only somewhat relaxed when he realized the older man was still asleep. And that was when his eyes finally focused on his face. He never saw Wesker sleep. The man always woke up before him, but right now, his face was relaxed, lips slightly parted as he slowly breathed. His usually perfectly neat hair was falling into his forehead, the blond strands darker in the dim light that crept past the curtains. Chris had never seen the man like this and studied the sleeping face, the man´s cheekbones and perfect jaw, the barest hint of stubble on his skin. Wesker was a _really_ handsome man.

And he was currently embracing him, hugging him close when Chris tried to move as though to prevent him from going anywhere. But he didn´t wake up. Unsure whether to be relieved or worried, Chris just closed his eyes, trying to think of a way out of this, but nothing came to him. Maybe if he would just pretend to be asleep, or actually fall asleep again, then Wesker would wake up and leave the bed first. 

But there was no way he could sleep now and he was too tense to be able to fake sleep. Wesker would be able to tell right away. And whenever he moved he felt the arms pull him closer, hold him tighter. Which didn´t feel bad, just strange. 

He laid there for several minutes, trying to think of a way out of the situation when the other man stirred, shifting even so slightly and then his eyes opened and immediately stared at him. The amused smile on his face made Chris blush and there was no denying it that Wesker saw.  
"Is this your first night with another man?"

And now his face was burning as the connotation of what he said popped up in his head. Wesker moved again, but didn´t let go just yet and there was simply something wrong with the way his Captain held him and as Chris tried to be the first to actually leave the embrace he realized their legs were tangled, Wesker´s pressed between his own, too close where it definitely never should be.

"I-I have to use the bathroom." That was the excuse he went with as he pulled away, face burning while the amused blond watched him, not trying to keep him in bed in the least. Chris barely refrained from slamming the door shut and was only glad that he didn´t trip over the covers in his haste. Splashing cold water on his face to force the blush to make a quick exit he stared at his reflection. 

And then he looked down, eyes narrowed in annoyance

_"Oh, fuck me..."_

\---

By the time he left the bathroom, his hair was dripping wet from the ice-cold shower he took and he looked about as miserable as he felt. But he could smell coffee and that instantly caused him to perk up as he followed the smell. Finding Wesker, already fully dressed and looking as impeccable as always, in the kitchen, cooking breakfast, was a startling sight.

"Feeling better now? Had I known you would react so strongly I would have pretended to sleep for a while longer."

"Pretended... to sleep?"

"Of course. I always wake up around the same time. But you seemed so content to I decided to spend a while longer in bed and watched you sleep. You looked like you needed the rest and I didn´t mind. It was rather... refreshing." Chris couldn´t believe what he heard. Wesker watched him sleep? How long? Eyes wide he stared at the man, trying to think of something to say when the other chuckled.

"Please, don´t worry. Nobody will find out about this anyway. Coffee is ready." How could he look so comfortable about all of this, even make light of the situation, when Chris himself was ready to panic and run?

"Are you gay?" The question was out there before he could stop and perhaps think about it. He saw Wesker set the mugs down on the table before looking at him, but he didn´t look upset.

"No, I assure you, I am not. You may not be aware of this, but I had a relationship a few years ago with a rather lovely woman. Unfortunately, our ways parted, so no, I am not gay." Chris relaxed after he heard this and slowly walked to the table. The coffee was exactly what he needed right now. So Wesker just watched him because he was weird like that, alright. He could live with that. "However, I also feel inclined to inform you that I had a male lover in the past, too. Well, more of a... relief, actually, as there was no emotion involved. But don´t worry. I would never do anything against your consent."

Chris nearly choked, forcing himself to swallow before he could make another mess, his eyes watering as the coffee burned down his throat. His consent? As if he would ever agree to sleep with Wesker! The man was impossible!

"You´re my Captain... I can´t sleep with you anyway. Workplace relationships and all that." Best way to put it and avoid any confrontation, but he refused to look at the man now, stubbornly glaring into the mug of coffee, blowing on it to rush the cooling process.

"And if I weren´t, would you consider it?" A good thing he wasn´t trying to drink this time since his throat closed up. The answer was right there on his tongue, but he couldn´t say a word, silent for several seconds. "Relax, I´m just teasing you. But you are right, Christopher, workplace relationships would be a bad idea as it might affect the entire team´s dynamic, whether the relationship is going well or not." A hand squeezed his shoulder as two plates were set on the table. "Come, eat. Good food will make you feel better."

Chris sat down as though ordered to, but the strange feeling remained. Wesker asking that question made him actually wonder about that and he hated it. Acknowledging that the man was attractive was one thing. Waking up with his pyjama pants tented because he slept cuddled up to him all night was something else entirely. They ate in silence, Chris doing so automatically, only aware that the eggs were probably the best he ever had. Soft and fluffy, with just the right amount of black pepper on top. Of course Wesker was a great cook and didn´t need a book for that.

"I apologize."

Snapping out of his thoughts he finally looked at Wesker again and saw the rather sombre expression in his face. "W-what for? You didn´t do anything."

"I obviously made you uncomfortable. Whether by what I have done before or said this morning. It was never my intention, Christopher."

"... it´s alright. I just didn´t expect someone who´s usually so serious to... tease me I guess. I´m fine, Captain."

"Are you really?" Chris nodded and though his smile felt a bit forced, he managed to produce one before stuffing his face. "Then please, call me by my name, at least when we are alone."

"I think I can do that... Wesker." As strange as it felt, it wasn´t bad. The man apologized, which was a first. And he did actually feel better now. So the man did to him the same thing he had done to Wesker and... his body´s reaction was just a normal thing. That was all. And once he decided that this was all there was to it, Chris was able to relax and finish eating in his usual good mood.

"You know, if I knew you were this good at cooking I would have asked you to teach me instead of reading the book." Standing up he gathered the empty dishes and started washing up.

"But where would the fun in learning something on your own be? You were so determined that it forced you to improve." He heard Wesker stand up and walk to the bedroom, leaving Chris to wonder about what he said. When he returned he had his jacket on, his service gun in the holster beneath and his shades back on. And he looked every bit ready to leave.

"What are you doing? You-"

"Christopher, it has been five days. I have been instructed to visit the doctor to see how the healing is coming along."

"Oh. Okay. Let me grab my hoodie and we can go." There was no way he would let Wesker go off on his own. Once it was on he realized how sloppy he looked beside the man, but that didn´t bother him much. Or more like; he was used to it by now.

"Here. I trust you to be a careful driver." Staring at the car key handed to him he could not believe that Wesker trusted him with his car. Not that he was a bad driver. He was actually pretty good, definitely better than Jill or Barry, but still. "Well? Come on, I don´t feel like wasting time in a waiting room." 

"Right!" Chris locked up, still using the key Wesker gave him and made sure it was safely in his pocket as he followed the man to the elevator. "Would you like to stop by the station as well to see if it´s still standing without you there?"

"I actually would. An excellent idea, Christopher. I also need to make sure there´s nothing that requires my attention, aside from dealing with Chief Irons and Marini. While Burton is skilled, he doesn´t have what it takes to deal with those two. Unlike his two daughters, Irons lacks empathy. However Marini is a competent and reliable man." 

"Kinda like you." It wasn´t a question, merely a statement and Chris walked to the sleek black car. It wasn´t that long ago that he rode in the passenger seat as Wesker drove him home. Come to think of it. "You really do know a lot about us. You know about my sister, you know where I live. Even how I drink my coffee. I feel like I know nothing about you." It was supposed to be more of a joke as he got in, waiting for Wesker to close the door.

"I think you know me rather well. You know where I live, that I want reports filled out perfectly and will not hesitate to make you stay after work to fix them. You know how I take my coffee and that I enjoy poetry. You also found out that I heal quickly and why I chose the members of my team." Wesker looked at him as he started the car, briefly taking the shades off, just enough to Chris to catch a glimpse of blue. "You know what colour my eyes are."

"But... Jill and Barry, they saw... at the hospital. At least Jill definitely did."

"Did she now? Ask her, Christopher. And we will find out." Frowning as he drove off he tried to remember at least one other time when she or anyone else would have seen Wesker´s eyes. The man always wore the shades, even inside and when it was dark and nobody knew why. But she had to have seen them before. Or Barry. Someone. Someone other than Chris.

"And, you also know I wake up around the same time each morning."

\---

Chris still hated hospitals and that would never change, but at least this check-up was quick. A nurse recognized him, asking him if he felt better now and he just nodded before making sure to stand near the doctor´s office to avoid being seen. It was mere minutes between Wesker going in and leaving again. The doctor didn´t look pleased, but Wesker definitely did, touching the younger man´s shoulder. "Everything´s going perfectly. Let´s go. I´m rather eager to see how my team is doing and I am sure they are curious how you are doing as well."

"What did the doctor say? He doesn´t look happy."

"Of course not. But I assure you that has nothing to do with my diagnosis." Though he wanted to question the man, this didn´t seem like the right time or place and Chris was vaguely aware of a hand on his back as they walked back outside and to the car. The ride to the station took only a few minutes as they avoided traffic with ease and he pulled up into Wesker´s usual spot.

"So it still stands. Impressive. I hope the inside is in equally good shape." Wesker lead the way and Chris followed. The last time he came here he was ready to give up, resign and never see Wesker or anyone else again. Now he was smiling.

The office looked the same. No bigger mess than usual and Barry and Jill were both working on their reports while Joseph was whistling from the small kitchen as he probably made more coffee. Nothing was on fire, nobody was injured or crying, nothing out of the ordinary. Wesker was pleased.

"Captain! You look... _normal_!"

"Thank you, Jill."

"No-I mean, you look... Barry help me out here!"

"This is all on you, Jill. But yea, good to see you´re doing well. I expected a call about Chris being a pain, but it seems that you two hit it off rather well." Barry turned away from his computer for a moment and looked at the two. "Oh, I nearly forgot. Moira and Polly made this for you." He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a picture, a somewhat crudely drawn figure with yellow hair and black glasses holding what seemed to be a gun and a star in either hand. Captain Wesker written in neat letters on top in a bright blue crayon made the piece look really sweet.

"That´s so cute! Come on, you have to put that one on the fridge, Captain! Or your office!" Jill was way more excited than Wesker about the picture, but Chris saw the corner of his lips twitch briefly. He liked it.

"I do believe my office could use more decoration. Thank you, Burton. And thank your daughters for me as well." Still holding the portrait, Wesker made his way over to his office to neatly put it away and Jill used the moment to stand closer to Chris. 

"So, how is he really? You´re still alive so... good? He´s not angry all the time, right?"

"I don´t know what you mean. We´re getting along really well. He actually stopped working when I told him to and now reads most of the time." Jill´s stare was strange, but then she had the strangest smile on her face before hugging him for no reason at all. "Jill? You okay?"

"Yea... Just happy to have you back again, Chris. Don´t worry about it. Alright, you should go and get him before he tries to sneak off with some paperwork. We have everything under control and Marini promised to handle Irons for us, so everything´s fine. I´m glad you two are getting along." She smiled and pulled away. Everything was just fine and Chris was able to breathe a sigh of relief before recalling something.

"Hey, Jill?"

"Yea?"

"...do you know what colour Wesker´s eyes are?"

"I don´t know? Green? Grey? Blue? Why?"

"Just... no reason, don´t worry about it." She gave him an odd stare, then nodded and walked back to her desk just as Wesker returned, his office door once more closed, but there weren´t any papers sticking out of his jacket anywhere.

"All done? Great, let´s get back so you can rest and-"

"Actually, I think we should stop by your place as well to retrieve another change of clothes. And perhaps something to sleep in, though you are welcome to find something from my own closet." Jill perked up behind her desk and Chris quickly ushered the man outside once more.

"Yea, sure, why not. Saves me the trouble of bothering with washing a shirt every other day." And this way he could do laundry properly tonight. Waving goodbye to everyone as they left he was relieved to sit behind the wheel once more. The reactions from Barry and Jill meant a lot. 

Arriving at his apartment building he quickly got out, reassuring Wesker that he wouldn´t take long, but the man was already getting out and there was no denying him entry. Thank fuck he cleaned up before starting his new caretaking gig a few days ago. And he washed the dirty clothes as well and took out the trash. Everything should be decent. Still, he felt nervous as he lead Wesker to his place, needing two attempts to unlock the door... which was not locked at all?

Automatically he reached for his gun, Wesker´s own already in his hand, the Samurai Edge fitting perfectly with his whole aesthetic even now. Why did he always look so damn good? But this was no time to be impressed. Chris turned the lock silently, opening the door and stepped inside, gun raised, finger off the trigger just yet. 

But he was barely two steps in when he saw a familiar pair of women´s boots in his hallway and lowered the gun, Wesker following his example a moment later. "Claire." Sighing he put the gun away, both relieved and annoyed to find that his sister visited without him knowing. "Claire, I´m home!"

"Chris! I was about to call you!" The young woman´s voice came from the kitchen and he smile as she ran to greet him stopping at the sight of Wesker standing right there. Her eyes stared at the tall man, slowly looking him over without an ounce of shame. And then she glared at Chris, hands on her hips as she looked from her brother to Wesker and back. "Chris..."

"What´s wrong?"

"You liar! You said you didn´t have a _boyfriend!_ "


	7. Irritating Interruptions

Chris felt his face burn. Had this morning not happened, he would probably not feel this way and could just tell his sister that it was his boss and not his boyfriend or anything remotely like that. But considering he did wake up half naked in Wesker´s bed, embraced by the man. And he could not forget how peaceful and young the man looked. Sure, he was almost forty and older than Chris and the same age as Barry, but that moment he looked simply so-

"You must be Claire Redfield." Wesker sounded awfully calm, quite unlike Chris who was ready to hide.

"I am. And you are my brother´s-"

"Captain. Albert Wesker, Alpha team leader. We work together, although lately we have been spending more time in each other´s company." Chris groaned, already able to see his sister perk up for a moment. Why did he have to say that?

"Really? So when Chris wrote down _At Wesker´s_ on the table, he meant you, huh? So he was with you... hm..." Shamelessly she looked the blond man over and he just stood there while Chris gave up, going to his bedroom again to grab his clothes and leave as quickly as possible. This was ridiculous! "He has good taste at least. I was worried for a while."

"Claire!"

"What?"

"He´s my Captain, not my boyfriend! Or anything like that! We work together, he got hurt and now I take care of him to make sure he doesn´t go and do something stupid that makes the injury worse!" Stepping into the doorway he looked from Claire to Wesker. "And stop encouraging her! It´s bad enough as it is."

"I have done nothing, but tell the truth." Wesker´s lips curled into a smirk the moment Chris turned around. "After all, I have not even told her that we slept together and that you woke up in my arms." Chris head Claire squeak before anything and nearly tripped as he rushed to the door, eager to set her straight.

"That´s not it! I spilled wine on the couch where I sleep and he insisted on the bed! It wasn´t... it´s not... Claire, stop thinking it!" It seemed too late for that. His sister had her hands over her mouth, staring at Wesker who continued to exude calmness. There was no way she would trust Chris who was so eager to prove her wrong. And this refined older man was not even trying to lie to her.

"Yea, right! So, how did my brother manage to land someone like you?" She grabbed Wesker´s hand, a boldness that seemed to run in the Redfield family, and tugged him over to the couch, forcing him to sit down before running off to make tea. She had to buy a few things since the man had nothing at home when she came to hang out, but having the whole place to herself felt nice. 

"Someone like me?"

"You know. Tall, blond, handsome, refined, elegant... all the good things while my brother is... well, he´s Chris."

"Hey! I heard that. And we´re not dating for fuck´s sake!" 

"On the contrary, Ms. Redfield. I think Christopher is _fascinating_. He´s determined and works harder than anyone, constantly improving. His instincts serve him better and save lives. Without him, my team would feel incomplete. He does not hesitate to put his life on the line to save others and often works harder than his colleagues to meet my high standards." Chris stood in his room, listening to Wesker talk about him like this and it felt strange. He wasn´t used to compliments.

"Wow. You really like him." Even Claire sounded impressed.

"Of course I do. He is my best man. And I won´t let anyone else have him." Those words made that awful heat rise to his face again and Chris buried his face in the shirt he held before angrily tossing it on the bed, then neatly folded it again. He didn´t want his clothes to be wrinkly around Wesker. Grabbing a few spare pairs of underwear, not caring which, he made sure he had everything.

"So... are you two dating? I mean you said he woke up in your bed and all..."

"Christopher also said the truth. Unfortunately, wine got spilled on my couch and since the floor is unacceptable to sleep on, the bed was the obvious choice. He found it rather strange, but as neither of us had any control over our movements during the night I don´t see anything odd about it." Wesker saw her face fall somewhat as she realized that they two of them were not an item.

"See? I told you. Captain Wesker is my boss and we work together and now I´m taking care of him."

"Is that why you called about the pasta sauce a few days ago? Why are you taking care of him, anyway?" She set three mugs of tea down and sat into a worn chair, eyes moving from Wesker to her brother who held a bundle of clothes. 

"Because... he got shot. Because I didn´t listen to a direct order and he got shot because of me. And I want to make sure he gets better." The guilt still lingered in his voice and Wesker looked at the man, watching him as he sat down. "He protected me and nearly died because of me-"

"Christopher. We talked about this. And I told you I would do it again." There was a strange silence between the two men for a moment and Claire stared between them. She heard of Wesker before, Chris told her a lot about the man, but this wasn´t like the demonic Captain who nagged about reports and demanded constant vigilance from his team. This man was...

"Well, I´m sure Chris feels bad and wants to help, so I guess you two are stuck with each other for a while longer then. That´s why you came to get more clothes, right? I´m happy the cookbook finally gets some use though. Well, I´ll be staying here since I have a week off of college. Some medicine company is doing some kind of big presentation on campus." Sipping her tea, Claire seemed most content to have use of her brother´s place for the duration of the week.

"No parties. And don´t forget to study and-"

"Chris, I´m an adult now. I know how to take care of myself. You´re the one I´m worried about. Though now... I guess I don´t have to be since Mr. Wesker will be taking care of you."

"Please, Albert is fine."

"I´m the one taking care of him you know..." Chris mumbled, staring into the tea. This morning was so strange and the day just continued getting stranger. But at least he got to see his sister again, even if she got the wrong impression about Wesker and him.

"Why don´t you come over for dinner during your stay? I am sure you are eager to see for yourself how good of a cook your brother became." Chris saw her eyes light up and groaned. This was bad.

"I would love to! But is it alright to do that when you should be recovering? I don´t want to get in the way." What a liar, Chris thought. She would love to get in the way and see the two interact and no doubt was she curious how Wesker lived.

"Nonsense, you are most welcome. You can call Chris when you decided on a date and he can pick you up since I am unable to drive at the moment. I´m sure it will be a lovely evening." Chris didn´t even get a say in this as the two decided and just sat there, focusing on the tea before it was finally time to leave. When Claire asked if it was okay to hug 'Albert' goodbye he wanted to protest, but the man didn´t mind at all. Was this the same Captain who tore him a new one after he submitted the wrong report after a big case?

The ride back to the man´s place was a silent one. Chris thinking about what happened and Wesker looking content with how the day had gone. He was learning so much about the man already. When they were finally back at his place, Chris felt almost relieved. No hospitals, no loud co-workers, no nosy little sisters. Just the two of them. He never appreciated this so much as this moment.

"Your sister is a lovely young lady, Christopher. I´m sure you are proud of her." Wesker went to the bedroom first, emerging a moment later without his jacket or gun and most importantly, without his shades. Chris nodded, putting his clothes away into the shelf that Wesker emptied for him, pushing his underwear in the back for... reasons.

"I kinda had to raise her and I wasn´t exactly the right person to do that. We lived with a relative... but it wasn´t the best situation, so when I could join the Air Force I did. She went to live with a family friend once the relative died and finished high school and got accepted into a good University. Full scholarship, too. She´s smarter than I was." There was pride in his voice and Wesker took to watching him.

"You are smart, Christopher. Perhaps not in the academic way, but that would mean nothing to me. And you continue learning even now. She can be proud of you as well. If only all sisters were like Claire." A dark chuckle escaped the man and Chris looked up, watching him walk around the couch, testing the cleaned surface with his hand and there was a hint of a frown as he sat down. Whether from the mention of sisters of the furniture, he didn´t know.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"I do have one living sister. Alex... although we are siblings in name only as I have no contact with her and no desire for it." He wasn´t imagining it. The tone of his voice was dark and Chris carefully moved around the couch, coming to sit beside the man.

"What about your parents?"

"I don´t remember them. I was raised... I´m not sure what to call it, aside from a long-term boarding house. There were others like me, but they slowly left. Then it was just Alex and me." When the younger man said nothing, Wesker looked over, finding the large eyes staring with curiosity. He seemed almost afraid to say a word and interrupt. So Wesker simply continued. 

"We were told what to do when, taught everything we had to know and far beyond that and raised with a purpose. What happened to our parents... didn´t matter. It never did. We went our own way after we turned 18. For me it was the Army and the police force. For her... who knows. I certainly don´t care. I consider S.T.A.R.S. more of a family than I ever had, even if you lot can be loud and obnoxious and your handwriting is atrocious to read." The small note of amusement made the man´s lips curl into a smile as well and he heard Chris sigh.

"That sounds... pretty sad actually."

"Does it? It all lead me here to this point, with you sitting beside me and listening to me talk about things from the past that don´t matter. I have control over my own life and what I do, my actions are my own. And they all have a meaning, Christopher. If anything, I would say that I´m happy." Was he though? There was something strange about the way Wesker said that and Chris wanted to find out why. But not right now.

"I-I should... probably make lunch."

"Actually, I was thinking, that since we already ventured out today, we might as well continue. Since you will not allow me to do my paperwork, how about we visit a shooting range instead? And instead of cooking, I want to take you out to dinner instead. You were working so hard lately and I know you miss being able to work on your technique. " Chris perked up, but frowned a moment later.

"You have to rest. And I don´t mind cooking-"

"You also miss training with the others, which is why you work out in the hallway when you think I´m asleep or can´t hear or see you. Going for late-night runs is not the bed, since visibility is lowered, and I would appreciate if you refrain from doing that."

"You knew about that?"

"Of course." Wesker was impossible! The man was so smug about everything he did and there was no hesitation in anything he said, every move planned out. Chris just wanted to surprise him somehow, shock the man and see his face. Maybe he would just make this his new mission in life. "I feel perfectly fine and nearly have my full range of motion back without any side-effects." 

"Well it´s been a while since I´ve been to the shooting range I guess." Wesker knew he had won before the man said a word and smiled. "I´ll get my jacket then. It´s been kinda cold lately."

"Oh? Well then, if you are cold now, then at night it must be even worse. And I simply cannot allow you to fall ill and miss work since you are already busy taking care of me. You are always welcome in my bed, Christopher. I´ll make sure to keep you warm at night." Chris ignored the man, even if his face felt warm, grabbing his S.T.A.R.S. jacket to wear it with pride.

\---

He had to admit, the shooting range was fun. Aside from the fact that he got to shoot his own revolver again and impress the usual crowd, Chris was proud to stand beside his Captain and watch the man shoot with that composed face. His posture was perfect and Chris long since learned to mimic it, then made it his own as he made adjustments to fit his own needs.

" _Impressive._ As always." When the targets were zoomed over he stared at the paper, then looked to Wesker´s. Nearly the same hole with all bullets. His own were a bit more all over the place, but he wasn´t bad. Just not as good as Wesker. "Constantly improving. That´s what I love to see." Praise from Wesker always made his chest swell. And even though he couldn´t see his eyes, he knew that they were on him. Lately the man seemed happier for some reason.

"It´s getting late. And the last time you ate was this morning, so I am sure you´re hungry. Come, you deserve a reward. You´ve been working hard lately." Was he? Chris was just trying to make up for the mess he caused, for getting Wesker shot and nearly killing him because he was too stubborn to listen. He just wanted to see his Captain get better so they could go back to work and continue protecting Raccoon City.

"Captain? Chris? What are you doing here?" He watched Wesker´s smile vanish the instant Jill´s voice came and turned around to look at her, seeing her come out with Barry from another shooting range room. 

"I would like to presume the answer is obvious, Ms. Valentine." Was it just his imagination, or was Wesker´s voice... colder? And the smile was definitely gone.

"Well, yea, but-"

"We were bored. And it´s been a while and since it´s a bad idea to have your aim get worse we decided to come here. What about you and Barry?"

"I was supposed to meet with Kathy for dinner since the girls are with their grandparents for the weekend, but a girl´s night out came up for her so I told her to have fun." Barry didn´t seem to mind that at all.

"We decided to head down here and then grab dinner since we´re already out. Hey, wanna come with us? The Captain never joins us at a bar, so this would be the perfect opportunity! We can call Brad and Joseph!" Jill was way too excited about this.

"Brad said he has plans, but Joseph should be free to come. As long as he doesn´t whistle. What do you say, Captain? Chris?" The blond man didn´t say a word, obviously displeased that they met the others and thus the two got in the way of his planned evening.

"Well, I don´t know. My sister´s in the city and-"

"Claire´s here? Call her! Oh, this will be great! Finally I will get to talk to someone normal! No offence guys..."

"None taken. She is right, Christopher, you should call your sister and have her join us for dinner. We can pick her up. But I do insist I pick the place and it will be my gift to you to enjoy the evening. After all, you allowed both Chris and me to miss work for so many days now and more will probably follow." The smile on the man´s face was fake. Chris saw it clearly and the others had no idea, Jill delighted at the idea of spending time with everyone while Barry just nodded, accepting the offer. 

Back in the car, once Chris sent his sister a message, he stopped at a red light as Wesker slowly typed a message to Barry to let him know where to go. They would meet in an hour, plenty of time to go and get changed if they required to, but the blond still looked unhappy.

"You could have said no... they would understand."

"They would, but you seemed like you would appreciate the company of someone other than your Captain. And it is not a bad opportunity. In the end, I am still the one who gets to go home with you and spend time alone in your company, so I win." Chris looked at him, watching the man finish typing and send the message.

"It´s... not a competition though."

"Perhaps, but _I_ still win." The same smile he had gotten used to was back and for a second, Chris felt relieved.

"Just so you know, I like spending time with you. I feel like I got to see the real Albert Wesker. I learned more about you and that makes me happy."

"Does it?" Looking at Wesker, Chris nodded and smiled at the man. 

"Yea. I mean you are my Captain and my boss, but now I feel like I know you better. How you think and why you do the things you do. Makes me want to learn even more, too." He was smiling before he saw Wesker lean in, a hand resting on his shoulder and his hands gripped the steering wheel. This was-

The sound of a horn from the car behind them made Wesker pull back and glare daggers towards the back. The light turned green at some point and Chris hastily headed to his place so they could pick up Claire, determined not to think about what almost happened right now.

The smile on Wesker´s face was replaced by a most annoyed expression and the man kept muttering about idiots getting in the way. In the way of what exactly, Chris could only imagine. And he wasn´t sure he wanted to.


	8. Delicious

Chris felt really underdressed for the place Wesker chose, but so did everyone else. Only the man seemed to be comfortable as he entered the restaurant. Chris heard about the place, a recently opened Japanese restaurant that specialized in sushi, getting all the ingredients fresh each day. Just the lobby looked like a whole different world and he stood close to the man. Jill and Claire were already talking excitedly about... whatever girls talked about, really. Chris had no idea what it could be. Joseph didn´t join them, instead hanging out with his girlfriend and Barry seemed just happy to have an evening off. The man loved his family, but sometimes needed an outing like this.

"This looks like the place to have reservations months in advance and has big guys with tattoos and sword toss you out if you look out of place..."

"Don´t be ridiculous, Christopher. Swords are forbidden by law unless costume props and even then only in designated areas." Wesker smirked, but said nothing about the reservations and Chris just knew they had none. It was decided on the spot after all.

"There´s a nice steak house down the road..."

"They also serve steak here, only higher quality, of course. Don´t worry. As I said, tonight is my treat to you." Wesker was as calm as always as he walked up to the small desk in the lobby. Immediately, the young woman bowed, greeting him, asking for his name and reservation. And Chris knew they had none and that they would be asked to leave and-

"Christopher, this way. And please, follow the directions of our hostess. As this is a traditional restaurant, they also follow Japanese customs perfectly." The young woman was smiling, waiting for them and Chris gave a dumb now as he followed, the others not noticing anything odd.

Taking his boots off felt strange, but customs were customs, right? He was just glad he always tossed any socks with holes, never a fan of that happening. A door was slid open and the hostess lead them inside. Such a low table and... pillows? Chairs without legs with pillows? He didn´t understand it at all. How was this comfortable? The mats felt kinda strange as well and the lanterns provided warm light, but was it safe? Electricity in a place like this-

"It´s perfectly safe, I assure you. You worry too much."

"That´s why I tell him all the time, but Chris never listens to me." Claire gently nudged her brother and Chris flushed, following Wesker inside. The man sat at the head of the low table, Barry taking the seat opposite him while Jill and Claire sat next to each other, Jill closer to Wesker, which left Chris sitting somewhere in the middle. He didn´t want to be too close to Wesker, but being too far didn´t sit well with him. This was just fine. 

The hostess returned after a moment, bringing the menus and stepped outside to let them decide. And Chris thanked whoever designed them that there was English along with Japanese. There was no way he could read that. Ever. Not that the English was any help since he had no idea what anything was. He liked things like pizza and beer and not... whatever this was.

"Would you like help choosing, Christopher? It can be a little confusing for a first timer. But don´t worry, I´m sure you´ll enjoy it. In Japan it is customary for colleagues and friends to go to a place like this and enjoy themselves." Wesker´s voice made him look up from the confusing menu and he thought the man looked a bit more pleased as he nodded. He definitely needed help, lest he would order some live octopus thing.

"This is a really nice place though. Have you been here before, Albert?" Claire´s cheery voice calling the man by his first name shocked even Jill and Barry, but the man just smirked at that. He liked the girl. Smart and capable. 

"Yes, indeed I have. A few business meetings required a more neutral and refined setting. And you can only go Italian so many times before you tired of that. Both food and people. Although Christopher's cooking is something I have yet to tire of."

"I heard about it. That Chris can now cook. Maybe I should have you cook something for me next time." Jill´s sly grin didn´t go unnoticed and Chris returned it, shrugging briefly.

"I´m afraid that for a while longer I will be monopolizing Christopher´s talents, Jill." Wesker´s voice had the slightest edge to it and Jill laughed, not noticing at all while Chris gave him a curious look. The man was... odd today.

When the hostess came, Wesker helped them all order, then added more things to the list, along with drinks, making sure that Claire would not be close to anything alcoholic. Barry and Chris were driving, which left Jill and Wesker. Should be easy enough to keep an eye on those two. The hostess bowed again, leaving the party alone, but it was only a minute before their drinks were brought.

"So, how is Chris turning out as a caretaker?" Barry was more than happy with the iced tea, eyes fixed on Wesker. Strange to think the two were the same age when he had a wife and two daughters and looked... his age. Whereas Wesker looked younger and was a bachelor. Who sometimes seemed to have strange women visiting. Chris never asked about her once he found out she was not the man´s girlfriend.

"Excellent. I am considering hiring him full-time. Of course, that would intervene with his S.T.A.R.S. duties and would leave me without a Pointman, so I had to reconsider." Wesker´s eyes were on him, even though the man wasn´t even facing him. But Chris just knew that behind those shades the man was watching him.

"I don´t know about that. I mean we´re fine now, but a months from now you might fire me because you´ll be sick of having me around so much." Chris sipped his soda, glad that they had coke and smiled.

"So you plan on taking care of me for a month? I do hope I will be on active duty by then. If not by next week´s time. Sitting at home is only entertaining when Christopher is wearing an apron." The silence that fell around them was too much. Chris glared at the smug man. 

"You didn´t have to say that."

"I am aware."

"You wear an _apron_?" Claire stared at her brother, somewhat stunned at the idea of Chris like that. "I have to see that." Chris would never let that happen

"It´s Wesker´s. He told me to wear one when cooking because I would get my clothes dirty otherwise."

"Which you did." The man sipped from a small mug while Chris glared.

"Hey, nothing wrong with wearing an apron. I wear one when taking over the cooking. Of course, since we only have Kathy´s it´s kinda girly, but it gets the job done and I would rather not have grease stains on my clothes because that just pisses her off more." Barry laughed and Chris felt somewhat better thanks to the image of the man in his head.

"I wonder who looks better. Hey, Jill, do you cook?" Chris was happy that his sister was dragged into the conversation and soon they had Barry in on cooking as well, mostly telling him what kind of things growing girls liked which he appreciated. 

For a moment, Chris felt saddened. Claire never got to grow up in a family like Barry´s daughters. She had no mother to tuck her in or father to do her pigtails. No sister to teach her how to do makeup. Chris taught her self-defence and some firearm basics... but that wasn´t something a girl should need to know. But he tried his best. He tucked her in, made sure to clean the scrape when she would fall and hurt her knee. Taught her how to swim and ride a bike and defend herself and a few other things...

The food could not get here quickly enough.

\---

Japanese food was incredible. The table was filled with various plates and it all smelled good, even though it was mostly fish. Hell, Chris couldn´t tell at all. But he had one very big problem. There were no utensils like a spoon or a fork. Instead he had chopsticks that refused to work. Claire got the hang of it quickly, Jill teaching her easily. Barry needed a while longer, but even his large hands managed to pick up a piece of sushi off his plate without it toppling over. Of course, Wesker was a natural. Because he was Wesker. 

Which left Chris struggle to hold the damn things properly and whenever he thought he finally did it, his hand began to shake and they fell. Jill´s help wasn´t exactly doing much and the longer this went on, the more frustrated he felt. Even when he was told that using his hand was okay and perfectly acceptable, often even preferred, he didn´t want to give up. When the others realized that being watched actually made things worse the girls resumed their conversation with Barry, but Wesker continued to stare.

"This is impossible..." Setting the chopsticks down, not even hungry any longer, Chris gave up. When Wesker moved he thought the man was annoyed with him for ruining the evening, but instead, just like a while ago, a hand closed over his right one and he froze.

"That´s because you´re focusing on what you think you should do." Wesker´s hand over his own was more and he could smell what the man was drinking from that tiny cup. Somewhat sweet... but alcoholic. Watching their hands he was not even aware of Claire staring. Wesker carefully slid first one chopstick between his fingers, pressing it against his curled ring finger. "This one does not move. Your thumb keeps it in place. Next..." he slid the other one into his hand, adjusting his fingers. "like a pen. This one is easily moved, like when you are writing. Try it."

Chris did, shakily at first, the hand still closed over his own, but not hindering the movement. And when neither chopstick slid out he was rather amazed. That was... actually easy. The hand remained over his own however and he felt Wesker move it, automatically moving as well, picking up a piece of red fish, which was apparently tuna, carefully turning it to give it the smallest dip into the soy sauce.

_"Open up."_ Goosebumps appeared on his skin from the way Wesker´s breath was so close and he parted his lips, letting the man guide their hands with the sushi delicately held between the thin pieces of wood, right to his mouth.

It was fucking delicious.

"See? You need to make it your own, just like with your shooting abilities, your posture, your attitude. Adjustments are all that is needed to have control. Now, try by yourself." Wesker lingered close for a moment longer before pulling away, returning to his seat, refilling the mug and watched Chris try pick another piece on his own. His hand didn´t shake this time. And sushi was amazing.

"Chris? You okay?" Jill´s voice snapped him out of the strange daze after a moment and he nodded. "You just... look a little hot, that´s all." He did feel kinda warm. No wonder after what the older man just did, in front of everyone else again. 

"Ah, the jacket is kinda warm I guess..." He took it off, slowly, revealing his S.T.A.R.S. shirt beneath and felt a bit better. Having to pick up the chopsticks again he did it the same way Wesker showed him, grinning as he managed to resume as though nothing happened. When he met Wesker´s gaze he was smiling and just knew that the man was as well. Meanwhile Claire whispered something to Jill and he had no idea that the woman´s eyes went wide as she stared between him and Wesker.

After that, the evening was actually rather pleasant. The food was amazing, he had to agree and was determined to bring Claire there again on her birthday since she loved it. Barry took the girls home. The evening turned out to be rather pleasant in the end, but it was time to head back home. Or in his case, back to Wesker´s apartment. The ride took mere minutes and the entire time they were silent, not a word spoken.

Chris just assumed that Wesker drank enough of the sake that he felt too tired to converse and he didn´t mind at all. Not even when the elevator ride became somewhat awkward. Wesker unlocked the front door and Chris automatically followed inside The darkness of the apartment was familiar by now, even comforting, neither bothering with the light. Wesker went to the bedroom first, returning without his jacket or the shades and Chris smiled.

"Did you enjoy the evening, Christopher?"

"Yea, it was fun. Hanging out with my sister like that is rare and Jill and Barry were fun, too. Pity about Brad and Joseph, but... I would have hurt Brad if he would have tried hitting on Claire, so it´s better he didn´t come." Chris chuckled as he took his jacket off and hung it by the door, stretching his arms above his head. "And the food was amazing!"

"I´m glad you enjoyed it. Granted, the initial idea was just the two of us being there, but as long as you are content, I guess I can wait for another opportunity." Wesker sat down on the couch, patting the space beside him and Chris obediently followed to sit beside him.

"Opportunity for _what_?"

"To thank you for all you did. And spend time with you alone, of course."

"Cap-... Wesker, there´s nothing to thank me for. And we are alone all the time now, anyway." He saw the man ponder something, the blue eyes looking away before the other smiled. 

"Of course, you are right." Hearing those words made him far happier than it should and Chris grinned.

"See? Alright, I guess it´s time for the bandages to be changed. Wanna take a shower first?" He felt so oddly happy tonight. Getting up he missed the strange look in Wesker´s eyes, but certainly felt the hand grab his wrist and pull him back on the sofa. Tumbling down he found himself pinned to the cool surface, one strong arm beside his head as the other continued to hold his arm. "Wesker?"

"In a bit. You made me realize that the perfect opportunity was here all along. Just the two of us, no one to intervene or get in the way somehow." The man was acting odd all day and now this was just-"So I decided to stop waiting and just take matters into my own hand."

"That´s good. I think..." He had no idea and shifted before he realized that he was being pinned down rather effectively. Maybe now was the time to panic. But he couldn´t, because the moment he looked at the older man he found those intense eyes staring at him judging his reaction. Maybe this was a test of some kind and it wouldn´t surprise him at all.

"I´m glad you think so, Christopher..." Wesker nearly purred out his name, the sound making him shudder and he tried to shift beneath him again, but couldn´t. 

"Yea... so, are you... could you let go?"

"In a moment." The smirk returned to his lips and Chris just stared. The usually perfectly slicked back hair was no longer so perfectly held, a few strands slipping from their spot and falling into the man´s eyes. But there seemed to be no other reason to be held down like this. Maybe the sake got to the man or something. But the way Wesker was staring at him was so strange, like he...

_Oh._

"Oh." 

The man´s smirk grew when Chris realized what this position could mean and instantly he felt the heat rise to his face. The tension left his body for a moment, the shock enough to startle him. He couldn´t move or think or even look away from the amazing eyes. So when they were suddenly closer he didn´t dare breathe.

The tension returned when warm lips pressed against his own and it took a moment for his brain to catch up and realize what was happening. Wesker was kissing him. His Captain was kissing him. The man who nearly died because of him was kissing him. And it felt so soft that his lips moved before he knew what he was doing and could possibly stop himself.

He was kissing back. Because right that moment it was the most natural thing to do. Only that he wasn´t sure how exactly to do that, but that didn´t seem to bother Wesker as he took charge of the kiss, lips pressing to his own more firmly, the hand holding his wrist letting go and instead cradling his head. Of course that even his kiss was perfect. Though Chris had nothing to compare it to, it had to be, and he tried to mimic the gentle motions, the soft touches, barely aware of the strong body pressing against his own.

And Chris wanted _more_.


	9. "You didn´t ask before."

Wesker´s lips were softer than he thought they would be. Watching him that morning he never expected them to feel so warm, either, but as they caressed his own, Chris could only moan in response, his free hand having found the front of Wesker´s shirt and pulled him closer. When exactly, he neither knew or cared, his only thought being of how _good_ it felt to kiss the man. Kissing his Captain like this was a dream come true. Or maybe this was a dream, he didn´t know or care. When Wesker deepened the kiss, a warm tongue brushing over his lips before slipping past them, his brain shut off. No more thinking tonight. 

At least that was what Chris thought before he tried to clumsily kiss the man back, a soft groan escaping him, the hand cradling his face ghosting a caress over his neck, down his chest. It wasn´t until he felt the same hand pushing up his shirt and touching his bare chest that he felt all thought return and abruptly pulled away. Wesker made a small, displeased noise, pulling back just enough to be able to meet his gaze. And though Chris wasn´t sure what the man saw, the blue eyes softened and he felt lips press to his forehead a moment later.

"I think this was enough for one night, lest I want to scare you away. At least now I made my intentions clear, haven´t I?" Wesker pulled his shirt back down, slowly, touching more of his abdomen than was even necessary and only then sat back, smoothing his hair back into place

"Huh?" So much for thoughts coming back. 

"I _like_ you, Christopher. And I hoped that the past few days would have been clue enough, but more direct measures were required." Wesker liked him? Him? It made no sense at all! The man was refined and professional, the very image of perfection and Chris idolized him, maybe too much at times. And the man was his Captain and his boss and he liked him?

"What?" Wesker sighed, shaking his head and the smile on his face was gone for a moment before coming back, almost sympathetic. 

"Christopher, would you go on a date with me?"

"..." He was serious. Wesker was actually serious. The touching the past days, the way the man looked at him, the fucking _kiss_ , it was all because the man liked him!? Chris was stunned, unable to reply, his mouth opening and closing a few times as he tried to figure out what to say. He should refuse because that was the only thing that made sense. The man was his boss, his Captain and he could not possibly go on a date with a man and then obey his order later at work. Besides, Wesker was too good for someone like him who barely escaped being discharged from the Air Force and could not follow orders and-

_"Yes."_

Thinking without speaking was a bunch of useless bullshit if one didn´t actually listen to those thoughts. But seeing Wesker smile wiped that thought from his mind and left his mouth feeling dry. He had never seen this kind of smile on his face. Smirks, smug grins, faint, gentle smiles, those he had seen quite a few of. But this smile made the man _glow_.

Or maybe he was imagining things, but still.

"Wonderful. I was hoping you would accept. These things make a man nervous, afraid of rejection." Wesker´s smile was still there as he stood up, glancing at the digital clock below the television. "I think it is time that we retire for tonight. As for sleeping arrangements, I did mean what I said before. Even if it might not be that cold, I think that the bed is far more suitable than the couch. And you needn´t worry. As I already said, I would never do anything without your consent." Right, Wesker did say that.

In his current state, Chris might let him do anything he pleased. Standing up as well he slowly began to collect himself and suddenly frowned. And the restaurant, Wesker drank a few of those small bottles. Sake, probably. Chris never had any, but if that stuff was anything like whiskey... maybe he was just drunk. "Wesker... will you remember any of this in the morning?"

He watched the man turn around in the doorway leading to the bedroom and fix him with an annoyed look that Chris knew only too well. "If you are implying that I am drunk, then I assure you that any alcohol has left my system long ago. I have never been able to retain more than a mild buzz for an hour. Consider it the same reason why I heal quicker. I assure you, Christopher, that I will remember everything, including this question." 

"Just making sure..." He actually felt reassured hearing that. When Wesker vanished behind the door it was not long before Chris heard the sound of the shower running. He really liked Wesker´s bathroom. The shower was large and the spray felt like rain thanks to the large showerhead. The bathtub didn´t seem to get much use though, which was a pity. 

The couch had long since dried, not even sticky from the wine he spilled, but he wasn´t inclined to sleep here again. The bed was softer, far more comfortable, but it also had Wesker and he was still torn on whether that was a good thing or a bad one. 

No, definitely good. Fuck, maybe he rambled to Claire one time too many about the man or stared at him too openly when he thought Wesker was looking elsewhere, but none of that changed that he was kissed and asked on a date. Hell, he had never been on a date! Especially not with another man! What did two people, two _men_ , even do on a date? Raccoon City was not exactly the most modern, metropolitan place. And Wesker stood out regardless of where he went...

He spent too long thinking about this, staring at the book of poetry on the table before the sound of water running vanished and he took that as a cue to come to the bedroom. For now he had other things to worry about. 

As he entered the bedroom the bathroom door opened and a nearly naked Wesker stepped out, a towel around his waist and it seemed to be barely hanging on as the man dried his hair with another one. Seeing Chris´ face only made him smirk and he deliberately stood there, wasting time and let the other man gawk.

The only thing marring the man´s body was the white patch on his chest. Though the past couple of nights when he changed the bandage it remained clear, so maybe there was no need for them. But it was enough to snap Chris back to reality once he had his fill of staring and Wesker then moved to his dresser, pulling out a pair of black designer underwear and the towel dropped from around his waist.

There was no way Chris could possibly look away from the view of Wesker calmly leaning down, slowly, deliberately taking his time putting the tight briefs on and letting them snugly fit over his ass. Chris hadn´t realized that he was squeezing at the bandage in his hand until Wesker turned around and he snapped out of it, aware that he was caught watching him. Again. Why even bother pretending at this point?

With skilled hands he wrapped the bandage around the man´s torso, fingertips one more lingering over the patch before he was done and pulled away. "I´m going to shower as well. Clear my head a little." Catching Wesker´s look he shook his head quickly, grabbing his pyjama pants from the closet, along with a clean shirt to sleep in. "Not... I´m not going to change my mind, Wesker." The man visibly relaxed and nodded.

The shower made him feel better and he really hadn´t changed his mind. He looked up to Wesker and admired the man, liked him even, but the possibility of a date never occurred to him before. The kiss was surprising and he remained oblivious to any signs of it happening for days. And it was every bit as amazing as he thought. 

Things would be strange once they would return to work. With Wesker as his Captain, Chris would need to separate work and private life. There was no way they could hide away in the office and just-... well, they shouldn´t do that at any rate. Though the door did lock from the inside as well. Scrubbing his skin to distract himself from that idea he turned the hot water down a bit more, just to make sure.

Feeling better, Chris returned to the bedroom once he towel-dried his hair for a minute. It was a mess, but he was used to it and after a moment of hesitation, slid into the bed beside Wesker. Just because it was more comfortable than the couch, he told himself, not because he wanted to be close to the man again.

" _May_ I kiss you?"

And definitely not because he wanted another kiss.

"You didn´t ask before."

"I am asking now. Although I will accept only one answer, Christopher." He caught the man´s smile in the darkness of the room and gave him one of his own before nodding. A moment later the familiar lips captured his own, but the kiss didn´t go further than that, which was somewhat disappointing. When the man pulled away, Chris nearly protested and barely caught himself in time. Alright, getting used to this should be step number one. Otherwise it might cause trouble later.

"Goodnight, Christopher."

"Night, Wesker."

\---

The next few days were spent rather comfortably. A routine was established, where they would wake up, Wesker´s arms always wrapped around Chris, though the man always was awake first. And probably watched him sleep, which was a little bit creepy, but kinda nice. Only once Chris managed to be the one to actually catch the man sleeping and he took great pleasure in holding it over his head all day. He still cooked, Wesker watching him from behind the book, commenting occasionally on the apron suiting him.

But slowly, Wesker started to work more in his office. Once Chris made sure he wasn´t overdoing it, he ceased to worry too much and since he knew how work could pile up if neglected for too long, himself being a master of managing to do that, he let the man have his way. Sometimes he would bring him tea as he worked, but most of the time he spent working out.

It was Wesker´s idea. As much as he enjoyed having Chris around, letting the man be bored would be a bad idea and training his body sounded like a good way to pass the time. The gym he frequented was not far from Wesker´s place and it allowed him to clear his mind. 

He was dating his Captain. _Kinda_. They had yet to have that official date, but that didn´t stop Wesker from kissing him. As often as possible, too. They didn´t go any further than that, but it only made Chris wonder how much experience the older man had. He dated a woman before, he said so himself, but only had fun with others, whatever that meant. Not thinking too deeply about it, Chris focused on his workout, often coming back more tired, but happy.

When Wesker decided that come July he would return to work full time, having grown restless after being away for so long. Barely three weeks, but to the man it felt like far longer. Chris noticed that since he began to spend time working from his home office he became more serious, more focused, but he still smiled at the younger man and kissed his cheek to take away that worried look. And it worked almost too well.

But going back to work also meant that he would be going back to his place. Claire was back at university and he knew he couldn´t keep living with Wesker. Packing up on Sunday felt strange. He would take his things to Wesker´s car in the morning, they would go to work, and afterwards the man would drop him off at his place. Made sense, but neither was happy about the idea.

Sunday night, Chris didn´t even try hiding that he was snuggling up to the man, eyes lingering on the scar on his chest. There should be a bigger mark or something, but instead there was just the faint scar from where the bullets were removed and that was it. He really did heal fast, unnaturally so, but Wesker was far from normal anyway. Chris was the one to initiate the first kiss that night and he didn´t want to stop.

Neither man was willing to sleep and wake up knowing that they would go to bed alone later. Their hands kept wandering, Chris finally being able to boldly reach down and grab Wesker´s ass, which seemed to surprise and amuse the man at the same time. Not that he cared, hands shamelessly fondling him. He wouldn´t have dared to go this far if they had more days and nights together left, but a sense of urgency, a need he hadn´t known before, suddenly grew and so did the heat of their kiss.

His shirt ended up on the floor without him realizing it was even taken off, a strong hand distracting him just enough, tugging down the boxers he wore. It was hot lately and not just because of the weather. The kiss, the closeness, the older man himself were all responsible for how tight they felt and the relief of the cloth coming off lasted but two seconds before the same hand wrapped around his member and he nearly came right there.

There was no time or even need for words. Neither man asked or questioned what was happening and when Chris boldly grabbed the front of Wesker´s own underwear and squeezed he heard the man groan against his lips, blue eyes staring, challenging him almost. And he never backed from a challenge. Tugging them off was easy and his hand shook only slightly as he took hold of the man´s erection. Hot and smooth and firm. Too bad the light was off, because he wanted to see all of the man naked. 

_There would be another time._

Lips tugged on his bottom one gently before nipping the tender skin, making him gasp just enough for a hot tongue to slide past them and him to groan a moment later. The strange sense of urgency would not leave as he felt Wesker stroke him and he tried to match his pace with his hand, his other sliding through the blond hair as though to ensure he wasn´t going anywhere.

Hands moving in sync, Chris panted into the kiss before he had to pull away just to be able to breathe. This felt hot, better than anything he had ever done alone and Wesker was just using his hand. Anything more and Chris would lose it on the spot. Already he was shaking, trying to silence the embarrassing moans leaving his lips, but then Wesker´s mouth began to do something incredibly sensual to his neck and he whimpered and came into the skilled hand, probably ruining the sheets. 

A moment later he felt Wesker grunt, pushing into his hand and the man´s length twitched before wetness spilled onto Chris´ hand. The next kiss was sensual. Deliberately slow to prolong the moment for as long as two people could. Blue eyes stared into warm brown and neither spoke. There was nothing to say. Though Chris did make a soft sound of protest when Wesker left the bed to retrieve a damp towel from the bathroom, wiping most of the mess away before tossing it carelessly and laying beside him once more. 

Automatically now, Chris moved into the embrace, eyes closing once he was contently held and it wasn´t long before he fell asleep. He missed the way Wesker looked at him as he did, missed the whispered promise of protection and utterly missed the plans the man made while working in his office. When midnight turned June into July, Chris was blissfully asleep and so was Wesker, arms protectively locked around his Pointman.


	10. Slowly ticking down

"Welcome back, Captain!" Cheerful as always, Jill smiled at the man as he entered the station, already dressed in his work clothes, looking as professional as always. Behind him Chris looked rather strange, muttering a greeting as he rushed to his desk. Wesker cast him a brief glance, smiling briefly as he nodded to the woman.

"I trust you handled everything properly in our absence. Now that I am back, we have a lot of catching up to do. I want your reports on my desk and I expect you all to be ready for what gets thrown at us next." Jill saluted the man, returning to her desk and sat down. Everyone was in a good mood this morning and he appreciated that, but seeing Chris stare at his computer, waiting for it to turn on, made the blond curious as to what was going on in his head.

Last night was a bit more intense than either man anticipated. He had been content just holding him, surprising Chris with kisses and each time the man slowly kissed back, his enthusiasm showing more and more. But last night, knowing that it was the last time for a while that Chris could spend being held like that, it all escalated quickly. Not that he regretted it. No, it was too fucking good for any regrets. But now he had to be professional and he found it hard to go back to this state.

"Chris? You in there?" A hand waved in front of his face and he moved away from it, turning around to look at Jill.

"Yea? What´s up?"

"I asked you how it all went. Wesker´s in a good mood, but you look kinda... weird to be honest. Oh, here." She handed him a small tube.

"What´s that?" Looking at the writing he frowned. Bug bite cream? "Thanks, but I don´t have any use for this." He went to hand it back when a finger pressed to his neck and he hastily moved away from it.

"Something bit you right here. Looks kinda intense, too." His hand flew to his neck, hiding the mark and he quickly recalled what it was. Definitely no bug bite. It was a _Wesker_ bite. Cheeks warm he saw realization hit her and that weird grin appeared on her face. "Oh, so it is that _kind_ of bite, huh?"

"Don´t tell anyone!" Looking around to see who else was watching he only saw Barry attaching a newspaper clipping to the corkboard. A strange attack that left the victims look as though something tried to eat them. There were a few on the news. No doubt would that case soon be on their desks.

"Alright, I won´t. As long as you give me details." Jill sat down again, pushing her chair close to Chris who now tugged his shirt up, trying to hide the mark. Maybe a scarf... in July. Yea, right. That would be even worse. "So?"

"So what?"

"How is our Captain in _bed_?"

"Jill!" Startling, Chris stood up, aware that Barry and Joseph were both staring at him now. Where Brad was, no one knew. Lately he barely did any work, taking it too easy since Wesker wasn´t around, but his behaviour was strange even before that. Chris stomped off to the kitchen, determined to distract himself with coffee, aware that Jill was still sitting there and waiting.

"As expected of her. Noticing small details like that." Wesker´s voice nearly made him jump and he didn´t even notice the man in the room. Last time he looked he was in his office. Now he was standing behind Chris, maybe a bit closer than necessary. 

"What should I tell her?"

"The truth, of course. Or you could choose to lie, that decision is yours, Christopher." The man leaned over him, chest pressing to his back as he took his time pouring milk into his Captain mug and Chris didn´t move from the spot. Pinned between a counter and a hard chest, he could not move anyway. All he knew was that Jill was watching with wide eyes. "We can only hide for so long after all." Lips brushed over his ear and then the man was gone, calmly walking back to his office, looking to Jill as he passed her.

"Excellent report, Jill, very detailed. We´ll be working on a new case soon, so I expect the same focus from you. Make sure your tools are ready, too."

"Will do, Captain! By the way..." Chris froze as she turned to face the man, the office chair giving a faint squeak as she leaned against the backrest, staring at the man´s shades. "Did you enjoy your time with Chris? He didn´t give you a _hard_ time, did he?"

"Nothing I couldn´t handle. Now, enough chatter. I have a meeting with Irons and Marini in an hour and after that we´ll be starting a new case. Wrap up anything else, I want all of you focused." The man retreated to his office, the door silently closing and soon Chris came back to his desk, slowly sinking into the chair.

_"Seriously?"_

"What?"

"A hard time?" Jill cackled behind her hand and slid her chair back to her desk while Chris groaned. This wasn´t the time to deal with her teasing! A new mission was starting and there was no time to waste. Letting his coffee cool down he walked to the corkboard and stared at the article. A family of four, all dead, eaten. Nothing was stolen, no known enemies or anything. A pharmaceutical company came forward with a new line of vitamins... huh? Oh, that one had nothing to do with the main article.

Umbrella. What a strange name, but it was probably because of the weird logo. When Wesker went to his meeting with Marini and Chief Irons, they all knew he wouldn´t return in a good mood. That was the thing with Irons. The man liked dead presidents of paper and didn´t seem to care much how he got as many of them as possible. No one liked him at all, but he was the Chief of Police. No one dared question where he got the money for his lavish office. And the place was generally considered a punishment to go into. The creepy stares from the stuffed animals...

They were all ready when Wesker came back, the man´s stride said it all. He was angry. But by now they knew what to do. When the office door was left open, they all got in, standing at attention as Wesker stood behind his desk, going over the papers he had been given.

"The reports of people being attacked, murdered and eaten, have increased lately, with most attacks concentrated outside of Raccoon City, in the outskirts of the words, notably around the Arklay mountain area. We start investigation alongside of Bravo." A few papers were set in front of the group and Barry was the one to pick them up. A list of people, name and age and sex and his eyes lingered on the youngest ones. Chris saw the grim determination in his face and no one needed to guess to know he was thinking of his own family.

"I want you all to focus on this case and nothing else. Keep an eye out for any suspicious stories, even if they sound like fables. People were being eaten, so any fable might have some truth in it after all. And none of you are to go hiking or anywhere near the Arklay mountains. The area is being sealed off, but people are still stupid enough to go there for herbs and to do whatever." Chris knew that the eyes lingered on each of them briefly as Wesker looked up.

"Dismissed. Start going through all cases, repeatedly if you have to, and find something useful. Training will take place at three PM and you are all to attend. Especially you, Vickers."

"Yes, sir..." When nothing more was said, they left the man´s office.

"Redfield, one more thing." Chris looked at the man, nodding as he let the others leave first. "Close the door." And he did, following orders as though last night didn´t happen. Watching Wesker walk from behind his desk and towards him he didn´t know what to expect, but it certainly wasn´t a kiss that left him panting for air and for more.

There was almost nothing gentle about it, the pure power and passion surging through the embrace as Wesker held him close, one hand in his hair, the other firmly wrapped around his waist while his mouth was ravaged by his tongue. Chris lacked the experience to return the kiss the same way, but he did his best anyway, hands clinging to the man´s rolled up sleeves while his eyes closed. So they could do this kind of thing at work...

"Much better." Wesker slowly pulled away, staring at the man, his dazed expression and gently smoothed his hair back into place, fixing his shirt. "Return to work, Christopher. We have a lot to do. And I am afraid that this means our date will have to wait until some other time." Though nothing stopped them from enjoying an evening together or two. With this new mess, they needed a way to relax.

"Yes, Captain." Still somewhat dazed, Chris walked out of the office, barely aware that he closed the door as he returned to his desk. That kind of kiss... and no one here knew. No one knew how passionate and warm Wesker was, what colour his eyes were, how he smiled and how gentle his touch could be or how handsome he was with his hair a mess in the morning. They all knew him as their Captain, the epitome of perfection, but Chris knew so much more.

"What are you grinning about? Something good happen?" Barry´s voice startled him and he nodded before he could stop himself, then quickly shook his head. 

"Just... made sure that Captain is all healed up and it makes me happy we can be back to work, fighting the good fight and all that." The answer seemed to satisfy Barry and he nodded, then looked to the photo of his family.

"You know, I was thinking of sending Kathy and the girls to my parents´ house, far away from Raccoon City. Seems like this place is not that safe lately." 

"I think that´s a great idea." Wesker´s voice behind the man made him look up. "Marini proposed the idea of city evacuation to Irons, which he dismissed as a waste of money, but I disagree with him on that. As many people should leave Raccoon City as possible. The attacks show no sign of stopping."

"A waste of money? But this is people´s lives we´re talking about! Who cares about money!?"

"Irons does." Wesker´s expression darkened for a moment. "Burton, make sure your family is safe. Friends as well. Things are calm for now, so it is better if they leave before any panic can ensue. That goes for the rest of you as well." He waited for them to nod before returning to his office, closing the door once more and Chris could see him through the blinds as he got on the phone, fingers impatiently tapping on his desk as he spoke.

He could see him _through_ the blinds. 

Looking to Jill he stared at her, wide-eyed, but she just held a finger to her lips and winked. She definitely saw them kiss! Chris bowed his head, focusing on work instead of being teased. This kind of case was bad and there was no time to be distracted at work.

\---

One week later and still no leads. But Chris was starting to notice a strange pattern in the cases. Umbrella. The pharmaceutical company seemed to be involved somehow, but he was missing the biggest connection. A new report came yesterday, rabid dogs attacked a man who lived near the Arklay Hospital and worked as a ground caretaker for the place and a few mansions around. He managed to bludgeon one of the dogs to death with his cane before the others got to him, but Umbrella took charge of the analysis, claiming to have the best possible equipment and laboratories to help with any case.

And Chris was suspicious of their intentions. The mansions in the area were private, one or two decrepit and merely decorating the thick woods now, probably used for stragglers or wanderers to explore, but the rest were still in use. And after he started to look into it he found that all of them belonged to someone connected with Umbrella. Rich people liked to buy big houses away from people, sure, but this was ridiculous.

The largest one especially seemed to be in the centre of it all. He was getting close to something and he knew it. But the next morning a report of two missing hikers came in and the officers who looked for them reported strange sounds before fleeing. People were still vanishing, turning up partially eaten or with limbs missing. And Wesker´s frustration was mounting.

He watched the man often nowadays. Usually on the phone, talking to someone in an angry tone, but never loudly enough for the rest of them to hear. And more often than not he would call Chris into his office after that and kiss him hard, calming down. But he still looked upset, apologizing for being unable to take him on a date. And the routine continued as the mark from his neck faded.

By the end of week two, they were all frustrated and angry as more cases came and Chris knew that Umbrella was connected with this mess. Waiting for Wesker in the man´s office after the Captain went to see Marini, Chris hesitated. He had no definite evidence just yet, but he knew something was wrong. Walking around the office he stared at the heavy bookcase. So many files, some books, but no poetry. Wesker had no plans either and the light was kept dimmed, the desk lamp doing most of the lighting.

Files upon files were all over the place and he was constantly working on something. Walking around he stared at the man´s desk for a while and looked over the immaculate working space. Everything had its own space. Nothing was out of order and it made his own desk look like a chaotic mess, although he liked to claim it was an organized chaos.

"Christopher? I assume this is important seeing as you are invading my office." The man´s tone sounded annoyed and Chris hastily moved back in front of the desk, waiting for him to sit down before setting the folder with his findings on the desk.

"Yes. I-I think I found something that has to do with the recent attacks. Especially a week ago, when the old man was attacked. Umbrella took over the body of the dog, but only claimed later it was rabies, but the statement they released is fake. It´s identical to one from three years ago that I found when there was an actual rabies case." Showing the man the two papers side by side he felt his heart race. "I think... I think that Umbrella is involved somehow."

"They are." Now that surprised him. Hearing this straight from Wesker not only confirmed his suspicions, but gave him more questions.

"Christopher... take a seat, please." He did, slowly, eyes on the man and watched Wesker remove his glasses. He only did that for one reason. To make sure that Chris could see his eyes when he would speak. And while the blue gaze still made his heart skip a beat, he was worried.

"How do you know?"

"Because I´ve been working for Umbrella. A friend of mine is as well and he´s involved in this mess, but neither of us have the power to actually stop it. Going over the heads of those in charge of Umbrella is impossible And lethal not only to us, but anyone we are affiliated with." And suddenly Wesker looked tired, making Chris wonder when was the last time he properly slept.

"You work for _Umbrella_?"

"I´ve been a researcher for several years before joining S.T.A.R.S. and my friend remained with them. William Birkin is a brilliant man, but was blinded by his research, as I shamefully admit, so was I. The details... I will spare you those. There is not enough time now to deal with those. But you should know that Irons was being bribed by Birkin and his wife, right up until their daughter was born. He wanted to stop his research, but Umbrella forced him to continue. They always find a way to force people to do their bidding, no matter the cost. They took over the bribes.

"The research Birkin and I worked on was supposed to increase life quality, regenerate damaged tissue. Basically, we were tasked with the creation of an immortality serum. And I know how it sounds. The failed experiments are now probably responsible for the attacks and Umbrella is too slow to cover them up, hence why they are now involved. Birkin is being forced to continue his work to perfect the serum."

"And you?" The blue eyes stared at Chris.

"Yes, me as well. And Umbrella has a facility in Arklay mountains. But that place does not have criminals with guns waiting for you. I would rather go alone, but that would raise suspicion and I cannot have that. Not yet." Wesker sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose briefly. "Ten days from now, we´ll be investigating the area and I want to go into the mansion. I know it... I´ve been there before. I know what to look for, but with the team I don´t know if-"

"We´re going. Or at least I am." Chris stood up, staring at the man. "And I am sure that Jill and Barry are as well. Even if you are working for Umbrella or being forced to or... I don´t really get what they have on you, but you told Barry to get his family out of the city when you didn´t have to. You made sure he tells his friends, that we protect our families. And after all this is over, I expect to be told everything." 

Wesker stared at him for a moment and Chris sat down, his unwavering gaze fixed on the man. Umbrella was the one connected to this whole mess and Wesker worked for them... but instead of covering up the information, he was trying to help. So he couldn´t be the bad guy here. And though Chris wanted to know more, needed to find out what was happening, he could wait until they dealt with this mess. Knowing that Irons was actually being bribed by Umbrella now made sense and also made him hate the man even more.

"I trust you, Captain. And I know you will make the right call when time calls for it. So for now... let´s just focus on gathering as much information as possible and preparing for what could happen. I have a friend at the City Hall who could provide maps of the area. Maybe even from the mansion-" 

"I have that one already. Christopher, you have to understand that this is dangerous. Chances are, someone will get hurt. I will not be able to guarantee everyone´s safety, which is why I should go and do this alone-"

"You can go ahead and _try_ , Wesker." Chris voice shut the man up, the determination in his face showing once more. "But I´m definitely coming with you, no matter what. And if it comes to disobeying an order to stay behind, then you know that´s what I´m good at." Pale lips quirked into a soft smile.

"Very well. I will speak to the others shortly. Maps would be helpful, but also make sure that you are prepared. And cover your tracks. I don´t want them coming after you." Wesker stood up, moving around the desk until he stood in front of Chris and then just leaned down, gently kissing him. Even in the kiss he could feel how tired the man was. He needed rest.

"That goes for you, too. Hey, do you have plans for tonight?" As Wesker pulled away, Chris stood up and smiled, a plan forming in his head. Before they would truly start dealing with this mess, he wanted to spend some quality time with Wesker.

"Not that I know of. I wanted to stay at the office and-"

"Come to my place. I will make dinner." It seemed that he surprised the man with that, but Wesker´s smile was unmistakable.

"Very well, that is an officer I cannot refuse it seems. I will be there."


	11. First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Wesker and Chris test a new mattress. In other words: sex.

Chris knew that Wesker would stay behind at work again, finishing up a few things, which gave him enough time to get what he needed and start cooking. The man needed a break and he intended to give it to him. And though he knew they would talk more about the case, about Umbrella and all Wesker did, right now he chose not to think about it. Instead he carefully spiced the salmon, once more checking how long it needed to be in the oven before he pushed it in. Cooking was actually kinda fun.

He took a shower as well and changed into something other than his S.T.A.R.S. shirt, which he once more wore with pride. Instead he went with a simple black and his usual jeans. His hair was a lost cause. Glancing at the bed he felt somewhat proud that he managed to get a new mattress since his experience with Wesker´s bed. It wasn´t the same, sure, but it was damn better than what he had before. Getting the man to sleep over might take some convincing though.

Later. Comparing the wine he bought to the one recommended he hoped it was the right kind, the brand new glasses sparkling as he poured it. Almost seven. Not even five minutes left and he checked on the fish, setting out two plates. Maybe he was not that much of a lost cause after all. Again he looked at the clock. One minute left. Not even that.

The knock came before he could even look away and he rushed to the door, not even bothering to ask who was there as he opened it wide and the grin on his face remained. Wesker looked tired still, but his shoulders were more relaxed. "Come in! Dinner´s almost ready."

"You really weren´t joking about that, were you?" He let Wesker close the door and turned the oven off, grabbing the oven mitt (another thing he had to buy) to deal with the hot dish and soon had the salmon on top of the stove, moving the fish onto the already ready plates. Roasted potatoes and spring vegetables waiting, then carefully poured the sauce on top. At first it made no sense, something like lemons and herbs together, but it turned out pretty great. He was proud of himself and set the plates on the table. Too bad he had no candles, but once he dimmed the lights it didn´t look bad.

"Come, sit. You need to rest. You´ve been working this case on your own for so long..." Chris shook his head softly, pulling Wesker to the table without much effort at all. When the man sat down, he did as well. "But I figured it out myself, so it´s not just you against them now. You´re not alone." He watched Wesker´s eyes widen as he removed the shades before they softened. Not being alone was probably something he hadn´t thought of. Come to think of it, the man was probably alone a lot...

"Thank you, Christopher. I appreciate it. Yes, indeed you are right. I am no longer alone in this. But it took many months of preparation. Working for them and against them at the same time, working with S.T.A.R.S. with Irons watching. It was going well before someone at Umbrella messed up and since May I have been hearing about these incidents." The man sighed, picking up the glass of wine as Chris did the same. "Excellent selection."

"I learned a lot from you these past few weeks."

"You were not the only one learning." Chris probably looked confused when Wesker chuckled and instead of elaborating leaned over and kissed him. That was enough to pacify the younger man and once the glasses were set down they both ate.

Wesker told him as much as he could without going into too much detail. How long he worked for Umbrella, but not for whom directly. What their objective, past the facade they presented the public eye, truly was and how many of those working for them were being threatened or blackmailed. Not Wesker. There was nothing they could hold over him. And Birkin made the mistake of finding a kindred soul in Annette, but when their daughter arrived, things became more dangerous. He told Chris of the experiments and how he kept tight control over what was used and on whom. Animal testing was unavoidable. But when Umbrella began to branch out into using human test subjects he became vary. 

"The viruses cannot be controlled. They are incomplete and would take a decade, if not even longer, of research to complete. But all this time I think that a serum for eternal life is a futile endeavour. Eternal life and eternal youth are two different things. Immortality and invulnerability, so many variables exist that affect even the smallest portion. That kind of research is tiring. I can do more good working for S.T.A.R.S., saving people instead of experimenting. Birkin though, he continued. And I worry how far he had gotten." When Chris rose to take the plates away he refilled the glasses as well.

Hearing about how Wesker began to work for Umbrella was strange. The man only briefly mentioned how he was raised for that, for a specific purpose, never having known his parents or even remembering them. He hinted that there were others like him, but no longer, aside from his sister Alex who was... not even he knew what she was doing.

"So we are up against a pharmaceutical company searching for some elixir for eternal life while fighting man-eating dogs and who knows what else went wrong." That definitely sounded worse than dealing with a crazed gunman. Moving to the couch he sat close to Wesker, closer than he usually would. "But at least we know what to expect now and can be ready. Find the cause and destroy it and then I guess... go public with the finds? Destroy Umbrella?" 

"That´s impossible. As of right now, they are too strong and helping the public to gain favour. Unless something big happens... but I would rather refrain from that. We need to focus on stopping these attacks first to be able to then move onto another matter." He saw Chris nod, the man agreeing that this was the best course of action for now. It was only a handful of people working against them. With Wesker in charge, they would simply follow orders and of course the Captain would think of what had to be said later. They just had to survive and not get eaten by anything.

"We´ll be fine. After all, we have you on our side, right?" Chris smiled at him, then found himself pulled into a kiss moments later, one hand gently cupping his face as another took the glass he held, setting it on the table. He didn´t fight it, mostly because he didn´t want to, instead moved closer to the man. He trusted Wesker like no one else. And he would follow the man to hell and back if needed.

Though he wasn´t entirely sure how he ended up straddling him on the couch, neither minded as their lips parted just briefly. "I was... kinda hoping that tonight would be like our first date. I know you had something else in mind for sure, but... I´ve never been on a date so I wasn´t sure what to do."

"You did perfectly, Christopher." The praise made him smile and Chris gave a soft nod before leaned in to kiss Wesker, shifting in the older man´s lap until they were chest-to-chest. He couldn't resist running his fingers through the man´s hair, moving strands from their usual place and Wesker let him, blue eyes staring into his own before closing and the kiss became hotter.

They could continue all night like this, just kiss and embrace, but Chris wanted the man to rest and forced himself to pull away once he felt fingers slide beneath his shirt. Wesker´s curious look as he stopped confused him for the fraction of a second and he gave a shake of his head. "Not that, don´t worry. But I really hoped that you would get some rest tonight instead of working late and coming in early. So... let´s go to bed. I got a new mattress and it´s pretty great, so I know you can sleep well here." Though he probably had nothing that would fit someone like Wesker, he doubted that would be an issue. It was too hot for pyjamas, anyway.

"There are easier ways to get me into your bed, Christopher. One of them being just telling me. But I appreciate the long way around as well." Rolling his eyes, and still not moving from the man´s lap thanks to the arms now resting around his waist, Chris gave a soft sigh.

"I´m serious. You need to rest."

"But I´m enjoying myself too much to consider sleep right now." Chris stared at the man, trying to figure out if he was serious, but a second later the hold on his waist tightened and the man spoke with displeasure in his voice. "Hm, I see the little mark I made has already faded."

"Don´t remind me... Jill kept staring and teasing me about it." Shifting in Wesker´s lap he placed one more kiss onto the man´s lips before pulling away and smiling as he slid off his lap and stood up. Not giving the man a chance to protest he grabbed his hand. For a while longer he waited to avoid thinking or talking about work, Umbrella or anything. 

The bedroom was dark, smaller than Wesker´s, but that didn´t matter as he ended up pushed against the door and with mouth ravishing his own. And he didn´t fight in the slightest, instead kissing back, his hands grasping onto Wesker´s blue button-down to hold him closer. The hand once more slid beneath the black cloth of his shirt, pushing it up and soon the fingers splayed over warm skin to press him closer.

His idea of dinner and making Wesker relaxed seemed to be going so well, too, but the man seemed to have other ideas now and he didn´t want to fight him at all. If anything, Chris moaned as they parted for air, the shirt quickly leaving his body and ending up on the floor. There was something incredibly erotic about the way he could feel the blue gaze on himself as Wesker stared. 

Although he wanted to say something, mention something important, nothing came and Chris only pulled the man into another kiss, giving in to the desire he felt. They already did more than just kiss once, so why not again? It would help Wesker relax and frankly, he just wanted to touch him. Never would he have thought he would miss the bandages and the ability to subtly touch the older man each time as he changed it.

_"Bed."_ He muttered when they once more parted to breathe and Wesker complied, pulling him towards it without their lips parting again while fingers clumsily worked on his shirt, undoing it button by button. But then Chris reached the middle of his chest and pulled away, staring at the almost glowing, pale skin. No mark, barely even a scar. Did... he ever experiment on himself when he worked for Umbrella?

"I always healed quickly. I was always different from the others. That was why I was chosen to be a part of that project, Christopher. But I assure you that I am the same man you have known from the start." Wesker took his hand and pressed the palm flat to his chest, right above his heart. Such a powerful beat. Looking up and into his eyes he felt comforted in a way he never thought was possible and nodded, smiling. 

"I know. I just worry."

"Leave the worrying to your Captain. That´s an order."

"You know I have this problem following orders sometimes..." He felt Wesker smile against his lips as they kissed again and the shirt left the man´s frame, ending up on the carpet (and Chris was relieved that he took the time to vacuum) and his hands now freely touched the exposed skin. Really, Wesker should be glowing at night, his pale skin reminiscent of vampires from all those books Claire liked. They weren´t bad... not that he would admit that he read them.

But he didn´t want to think about cold-skinned vampires when he had a hot-bodied Wesker trying to undo his pants and actually succeeding. It was then when the denim was pushed down his hips that he realized how tight they felt and that he was already aroused and broke away from the kiss, staring down between his legs.

"Cute..." Wesker commented as he stared at the cartoony boxers. The giant Superman logo on the front making him chuckle, especially the one darker spot on the red and he pressed his palm to it, drawing a moan from the younger man. It was easier for Wesker to take the rest of his clothes off when he was seated and once he was naked he stared at the man, cheeks red and eyes focused.

"Not fair..."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I don´t want to be the only one naked." He saw Wesker grin as he reached out, grabbing the clasp of his belt, tugging on it until it finally gave. Undoing it from this angle was new and his hands shook as he pulled the zipper down. The last time he didn´t get a good look, but he could see the bulge clearly behind the designer underwear Wesker wore, the black material clinging to his skin. With some hesitance he tugged them down, eyes wide as he saw the man´s length. It looked bigger than the last time he felt it.

As Wesker stepped out of his clothes, finally completely naked, Chris found himself unable to look away from the sight of him like this. Eyes fixed on the male he eagerly met the lips that descended on his own and let the man guide him fully onto the bed, his fingers once more brushing through the blond hair, another moan escaping him when their nude forms touched. And he just knew that Wesker had to feel his frantic heartbeat.

The kiss calmed him down somewhat, a promise of more on the man´s lips as his hands caressed over his body. Though his fingers lingered whenever Wesker found a scar, focusing on it, touching it as though he could read how Chris got it just by doing so. The strange sensuality of that touch making him press closer to Wesker, hips rocking against the man for some desperate friction. The lips slid down to his neck, kissing and sucking and he knew he would have more than just one mark this time and didn´t care. He wanted them. More of them. And maybe he would be able to leave a small one on Wesker somewhere.

"T-top drawer." Whispering for as long as he could still think clearly he saw the man´s surprised look as he moved away for a moment, the loss of warmth annoying and leaving Chris wanton. But Wesker didn´t stay away for long. A small bottle of lube was dropped on the pillow beside Chris´ head and he flushed as he saw that he used some of it already and it was actually pretty noticeable. He only got it after the last night with Wesker... but he could hardly blame him for that.

"Always prepared." He heard the amusement, but knew how to silence the man, his lips quickly finding the other man´s as he pulled him down again, this time taking control of the kiss, his tongue brushing over the man´s lips before sliding past them and immediately Wesker´s own met it. He could taste the sweet wine briefly. Screw food, it went fantastically with his captain!

A thigh pushed between his legs and he parted them instinctively, somewhat embarrassed, but nonetheless eager. This was really happening! When Wesker pulled away from the kiss and just stared at him for a moment he worried he did something wrong or that the other changed his mind, but instead his Captain shook his head and leaned down to kiss his forehead. "I was just drinking in the sight of you like this. I want to memorize forever." 

Forever seemed like a really long time to Chris and he gave a weak nod, already aware that he would never forget this either. Maybe he should tell Wesker that he had never done this before. Taking care of his sister, then the Air Force, then S.T.A.R.S., they all kept him busy and he never had the time to even consider a relationship. Which made him also wonder if this was one. Were they dating? This was their first date after all.

"You´re thinking too much." Another soft kiss and the wet sound of the lubricant being squirted out somewhere; he couldn´t tell where. But a moment later he became aware of something cold between his legs, pressing to his entrance and tensed before he was kissed again. "Relax, Christopher. It´s important that you trust me. Otherwise it could hurt more than it probably will." So there would be pain involved. He figured as much. Being inexperienced was one thing, but he wasn´t a fool. He knew what went where and if Wesker´s length was going inside him than the lube was really necessary.

Forcing his body to relax, the next kiss helping with that, Chris felt a finger slide inside him after a moment and it had to be the most foreign feeling in the world. It also felt cold and the contrast between Wesker´s body and the cold lube made him squirm. His hands gripped at the man´s shoulders, jaw clenched as another finger slid inside to join the first and already it felt tight. Maybe it wouldn´t fit and how badly would that hurt? 

About to voice his concern he gasped out instead, eyes wide as a jolt of pure electricity seemed to explode from the base of his spine. Wesker did something to cause this and Chris was utterly confused, but never got around to speaking either concerns or questions. Instead another of those jolts came and he whimpered, his grip tightening, short nails digging into the man´s shoulders and he heard Wesker chuckle.

"That, my dear Christopher, is your prostate. Once stimulated, the effect is immediate. Just like this." The man did something with his fingers and Chris cried out again, his length twitching. His legs were parted even more, allowing the man to knee between them as he worked a third digit in and soon after he felt it again. This kind of pleasure could drive a man insane for sure. And though with three fingers he felt pretty much full, he knew the main event had yet to come.

And he wanted it. _Badly._

When the fingers slid out he felt strangely empty and gave Wesker a questioning look, staring at the man for a moment as he squirted more of the lube onto his hand, but this time took it to his own length. Something about the man stroking himself like that was enough to fuel many a heated dream. 

"Breathe and focus on me and nothing else." He felt the warm head of something press against him and knew exactly what was about to happen, but only nodded, his eyes transfixed onto Wesker´s own, hands once more gripping at his shoulders. When the older man pushed inside him, Chris didn´t even dare to breathe. This was bigger than the three fingers, hotter as well, but it hurt. He could feel his body trying to fight the sensation and grit his teeth, nail leaving crescent-like marks in Wesker´s skin. 

But the eyes helped. The eyes never looked at anyone else like this, no one else knew the colour and no one would ever see Wesker like this. Naked and passionate and perfect in every fucking way. It was the moment he felt the man push inside at last and then slowly fill him that he realized that he might not just look up to his Captain. That his feelings went beyond the basic like.

_He was probably in love with Wesker._

The realization hit him like a brick and he stared at the man with wide eyes, but didn´t get to contemplate this for long as he felt the blond push the last two inches forward and inside him. And he could come right on the spot. Wesker´s lips were on his own once more, the force of the kiss nearly bruising and he kissed back with equal passion. When the man rocked his hips the first time, not thrusting just yet, Chris felt the length inside him shift and the initial pain did nothing to curb his own excitement.

There was no rush, no need to hurry anything along and he savoured every second. Kisses were only broken because the necessity of oxygen would make itself known and Wesker started to slowly move. It was the strangest feeling for Chris, but when the man slid back inside and pressed against the spot that made him whimper out, he knew he would come to crave this. Even now he wanted more, wanted that intense pleasure and clung to the man he began to establish a proper pace.

Slow and deliberate, every move done with the intention of making Chris feel good, he could feel Wesker´s eyes on him all the time. His legs hurt a bit from the strange position, not yet used to this kind of thing, but he had no doubt that it would change over time. Half the moans and whimpers from Chris were lost in their kisses and for a moment he managed to wonder if he would be able to walk tomorrow. 

But he didn´t ponder that for long, another wave of pleasure making his body quake and quickly he realized that a few more of those and it would be over. There was no way he could last beyond that and he tried to tell Wesker, but each time his lips were silenced by a kiss or because of another moan as the man´s thrusts drove him wild. The pleasure was just too great, too new and intense for him and with the man´s next thrust he came.

His nails slid over his back, pulling Wesker close as wet heat hit his stomach and chest. The cry of his Captain´s name tore from his throat before he could stop it and then he saw only blue. Only vaguely he was aware of the man whispering his name and then there was the strangest sensation as Wesker´s body tensed and he felt something hot fill him. The realization didn´t take too long this time, his face hot as he was finally allowed to focus and saw the man stare at him.

_"Chris..."_ A gentle hand caressed his face and he gave the man a lazy smile before pulling him down into an even lazier kiss. Chris never felt like this before. Strangely satisfied and tired and just happy. The kiss was slow and he could tell that Wesker was smiling and he brushed the man´s hair from his face, feeling smug when he saw how the man looked. _Undone and wild._

When Wesker pulled away he wanted to protest, but instead only yawned and heard a soft chuckle as his Captain got up and vanished into the bathroom, retrieving a damp towel that he used to clean them up a bit. Chris should probably shower, but that would require moving and he really didn´t feel like doing that. Thankfully, neither did Wesker as he laid down beside him and pulled Chris close.

Neither spoke for a moment and maybe there was no need for words. Chris savoured the embrace and his eyes closed after a few minutes. He felt exhausted and didn´t doubt Wesker was the same. Soft lips found his own once more and he gently kissed the man back before deciding that Wesker´s chest made the perfect pillow, his head resting on the other´s chest and an arm kept him close, preventing him from moving even if he wanted to.

There really was no need for words that night and both were aware of it. Chris fell asleep first, his body relaxing and Wesker watched him for a while. Nothing was allowed to harm the young man and he would make sure of that. Brushing his fingers through the dark hair, Wesker pressed a kiss to the crown and closed his eyes. Nothing and no one would ever hurt his Chris and live to tell the tale.


	12. The Mansion

"Still no contact with Bravo?" Chris shook his head and watched Wesker pace. This was bad. He thought they might have more time, but after bravo vanished somewhere in the Arklay mountains. Another series of attacks and the increased pressure from the populace of Raccoon City had the police department demand action from the special teams and Marini and his team left. There has been no contact for 24 hours now and they all knew it was bad.

"Captain, does this mean... it started?" Wesker nodded to Jill´s question and looked at his team. He knew he could trust Chris completely and the man felt it in the hidden look the man sent him. Barry and Jill were reliable as well. Joseph himself... he was eager to help, but Wesker worried. The only remaining worry was Brad who was acting strangely even now. 

"What do we do?"

"We go after them. Gather your equipment, check everything. Christopher, the maps?"

"Got them." Wesker nodded, pleased as he went to his office, retrieving something from the desk and for now hid it in his pocket. Chris thought he saw a flash of white briefly, but it might have been just paper.

"Jill, you may want to get that lockpicking kit, just in case. There are a few places where Bravo could be holed up in the mountains and I doubt we´ll get a key from the owners. Joseph, keep the camera ready. Brad, herb powder. And try not to drop any this time." Wesker narrowed his eyes as the man grunted something, going to the storage room they shared with Bravo. He trusted him less and less lately.

Then again, earning the trust of Jill and Barry after he told them what he knew, what he had done, was not easy. It was mostly Chris who supported him, even after being accused of bias since he was dating the Captain. Strangely enough, it was Barry who said that Wesker told him to get his family out and away and found his house obviously searched a day ago. But his wife and daughters were safe.

Adjusting the knife on his vest, Chris felt worried. Bravo lost all contact with them and there was no way of telling what happened. Watching Joseph strap the camera to his shoulder before putting his bandana on he looked to Jill next, watching her check the lockpick set to ensure nothing was missing. Everyone seemed ready.

He felt Wesker briefly squeeze his hand as they headed to the heliport on the rooftop.

\---

The forest alone was dark, but it didn´t help that the daylight was slowly fading. Chris kept an eye on the map to see where they were headed, the smooth flight perhaps the only good quality Brad had. The man was acting weird lately, smug almost. Maybe because he bought a new, shiny watch, which looked too expensive for someone with his pay check. Or it was a pretty good fake. He saw the a great mansion not far and frowned. Seemed like the perfect place to be haunted.

"There´s the helicopter!" Jill´s eyes were wide as they surveyed the crash site and when brad finally found a place to land, everyone moved quickly. The forest made evening turn into night and Chris shuddered. It was the middle of summer, but he didn´t feel warm at all. Wesker was close and he knew that this was it. And they had to be careful like never before.

"Did you hear that?"

"Sounded like an animal. Stay close." Jill nodded, the five moving forward while one man slowly crept back to the helicopter. 

Joseph was the first to reach the crashed helicopter, but stumbled way from the wreck just as quickly. "Kevin´s there! Or... his body." Chills went down Chris´ spine as he heard this. Dead. Not even S.T.A.R.S., just insanely good when it came to flying a helicopter and now he was dead.

He rejoined Wesker quickly, once again hearing that strange sound. Something was moving through the thick bushes and he hated that it wasn´t fall. There would be more visibility without the leaves.

The first gunshot came as a surprise and they all turned around, back towards the crash site. But Jill was closest than anyone. More gunshots followed and when Chris reached her he only heard the disturbing sound of something being devoured by what looked like rabid dogs. But the gunshots drew their attention, one already moving. But he was faster. There was a reason he trained so hard and challenged Wesker each time and it showed.

"Come on!" There was no time to waste. The dogs already saw them as prey and were running quickly. One glance was enough to tell him that they were not rabid at all. They were dead. And running like fucking champions.

"Hey, Brad!" The bright light from the helicopter overhead lit the way, albeit briefly, before quickly moving away from them. "Where the hell´s he going?" Did that asshole really just leave them behind? He was going to break his fucking face the next time he would see the bastard!

But there was no time to think about him now as they continued to run. The dogs were faster though. Whipping around just as another leaped into the air, Chris was ready to take the bite when it was shot away from him.

"Chris, this way!" If Wesker called him that, then he knew that shit already started and hit the proverbial fan. More shots kept the dogs away, Wesker showing his superior skill once more, but Chris got one as well, at least temporarily disabling the monstrous dog, Barry getting another one, buying them just enough time. 

"Damn it!"

"Make for that mansion!"

\---

The heavy door closed behind them and Chris felt his lungs burn. Running like this was not fun at all and so fucking different from the gym or even the park. The uneven train and darkness and being chased by a pack of what he could only call zombie dogs made it hell. But they made it. And the moment he was inside he knew which mansion he was looking at.

"Spencer Mansion." Chris saw Wesker shudder as he recognized the place. 

"That´s the name of this place?"

"Named after the man who owns it. Lord Spencer." There was no small hint of bitterness in Wesker´s voice as he spoke and briefly he grabbed his arm as he moved towards the stairway. 

"Fucking Brad. I will fucking kill him! If I ever see that piece of shit again."

"Barry, calm down, we´re... gonna be fine." Jill tried to calm him down before frowning. "But Joseph is..."

"Don´t think about it. After what I told you, this is where it all starts and I need you all to focus. This place... it was built as a cover. And we need to find a way beneath, into the underground lab. The map won´t show that, but it provides a basic layout of the mansion. Be on your guard. If the dogs outside are any hint, then this mansion is far from safe. And knowing Spencer..."

"You know the man who owns this place?"

"We met several times." The bitterness was back and Chris frowned. He knew Wesker told him. Because he wouldn´t relent until the man would and he hated the sad anger the man showed him back then. Shuddering at the memory he knelt down and unrolled the map.

"It´s a huge place. The first and second floor seem to have some unmarked areas. Barry and Jill, you two will take the second floor. Chris and I will clear out the first. Keep the radio handy and watch each other´s backs. This place belongs to Umbrella, so there might be herbs left behind somewhere since Vickers saw it fit to leave us stranded." Even Wesker was angry about it. "Avoid going outside unless necessary. And in case anything happens, retreat here."

"Those things that killed all those people, was it just the dogs or..."

"We can assume that Umbrella began human testing already, so I expect we will meet the results of those experiments here." That sounded bad. Really, fucking, bad. Chris handed a copy of the map to Barry and saw him look to Jill before they both stared at Wesker.

"If you two think this is a trap I decided to lure you into, I would not have chosen to drag Chris into this as well. And I consider you both colleagues as well as..."

"Friends?" Jill smiled and Chris was glad that Wesker returned that smile.

"Yes, I believe that is the word, although I am not used to it."

"Well, I guess you are calling Chris something else these days. Aside from starting to call him Chris." Barry actually teased the Captain, which shocked Wesker as much as the others. "I guess things change when you have sex and all-"

"What? When did that happen? How do I not know about this?" Jill actually looked upset. Barry shrugged and Wesker did not even look the slightest bit ashamed.

"Barry had the unfortunate opportunity to see my back in the locker room after our first night together. Which explains why you, a woman, were not present at the time. And I think... I might switch it up from time to time. Christopher and Chris. I am rather fond of both."

"Alright, lovebirds, be careful. And I am so using the locker room at the same time as you after this."

"I highly doubt S.T.A.R.S. will remain active after this, Jill... Irons is probably packing up right now and leaving the city." Chris muttered softly, the mood that lifted a moment ago once more sombre.

"Then we´ll make something new. Somebody has to keep the city safe." Barry patted Chris´ shoulder hard enough to knock the man forward, the man not knowing his own strength sometime. Even though Chris worked hard, he still had ways to go. With one last now, the four divided into pairs and moved. 

_This was it._

\---

"What´s the point of such a huge place? I mean just cleaning the place must take weeks!" Chris stepped into another room, scouting it briefly before seeing it was fine, but kept the gun raised for a moment loner.

"Actually, it was usually days. The less people were around, the less mess there was to clean up. But when you don´t have the time to make a mess, there isn´t anything left to clean." Wesker moved behind him, inspecting every detail of the room before lowering his gun. "Except for the bodies."

"... I still can´t believe they gave you numbers." Chris muttered to himself as the moved forward.

Room after room they continued to move forward and some of them were simply ridiculous. The first time Chris saw a zombie, he hesitated, trying to talk it down, but there was no helping it. It was Wesker´s gunshot that put the thing down completely. The first two, straight to the chest, doing nothing. 

"Aim for the head. It´s your best shot." The man lowered the gun while Chris inspected the body the creature lifted itself from. 

"Kenneth... he had his cam on him. Think there´s a player somewhere in this place?" The body made him feel weird and he shuddered, choosing to stand close to Wesker once more as they continued to move forward.

"Probably yes. The gunshots we heard before were from him, I presume but the wounds... they don´t look like something caused by a zombie."

"So that´s what we´re calling the after all, huh? What do you think killed him then?"

"Something bigger... with sharper teeth." Wesker frowned, moving past the body to check the door. Nothing. "Seems like we have to ascend to the second floor as well. Come on." And Chris followed, staying close, occasionally touching Wesker as though to ensure he was still there. He didn´t want to admit it, but he was scared. He never trained for anything like this before.

The second floor was just as confusing as the first one, if not more so, the place making his head spin. Without any sign of Barry or Jill they had to guess which way to go, but it proved easy since many of the doors were locked. And since Jill would have picked the locks, they knew which way to go.

"-take a look at this! It´s Forest... oh my cod!" Barry´s voice! And he sounded strangely upset...

"It´s awful!" Jill! So they were still alive and together. Chris felt relieved, until he heard what Barry said next.

"I´m gonna find out what caused Forest´s death... it looks like he was killed by a crow or something." Chris visibly shuddered again and for a moment, the mental image the words provided disgusting enough, Wesker pulled him close. So not just dogs now, even crows and humans were trying to kill them? And Forest was... Chris didn´t want to know. 

Waiting for the two to come back inside from the balcony, Chris was just glad they looked alright. "Wesker, Chris! We found-"

"Forest, we heard. And we found Kenneth... or his body. Something large bit him, so stay on your guard. He had a tape on him and we should find a video player somewhere in this hellhole." Chris held up the tape before safely tucking it away. This place was getting to him. And to think that Wesker grew up in a place like this...

"We´ll find one. So far this place is just a giant maze of creepy rooms and death." Barry looked around and Chris knew why. It felt like they were being watched. But there were no cameras anywhere. "Maybe we should stick together from now on. Somehow... I think that being separated is what got Bravo."

"You might be right. Stay on your guard." Wesker was even more on the edge and Chris was starting to worry.

\---

Two hours. Two hours of inspecting every damn inch of the place so they would not miss a thing before the hidden entrance to the damn lab finally came up. And Chris was ready to burn the place down with a vengeance. The zombies, the dogs, the fucking giant piece of shit snake that nearly got Jill, it pissed him all off so fucking much that he was starting to revert back to his old self. And Wesker saw.

He felt the man tug him back a few times, the shades hiding the serious look on the man´s face as they entered the lab. Barry and Jill were taking care of gathering evidence now that the mansion has been cleared out. Rescue was coming, but they were not done. Jill was determined to get all the information regarding the Trevor family after seeing their daughter, or what remained of her, vanish. It simply felt wrong to leave that unfinished.

At one point, Barry blamed Wesker for this mess, for all the deaths and the blond man let him. He couldn´t deny having played a pivotal role at some point, but never like this. And when Barry apologized for the outburst, he told the man it was alright, that he wasn´t entirely wrong in his accusations. Neither spoke much afterwards.

"I don´t like this. It´s wrong and cold and I bet there´s something disturbing down here." Chris´s voice was barely a whisper as they descended further down. The morgue was definitely not the place to be in a mansion full of horror and he wanted to get out as quickly as possible. Over and over again he kept checking if his gun was fully loaded and each time he knew Wesker was watching.

Before they descended, the man pulled him aside, wanting him to stay with Barry and Jill, to which Chris pushed him into a wall and kissed him hard enough to draw blood, refusing to even consider that an option. What was he going to do? Fire him? S.T.A.R.S. were already finished. And they were definitely not breaking up because he was in love with the man and Wesker was possessive as fuck. So they were stuck with each other and he made sure Wesker knew that as he continued on forward, fulfilling his duty as the Pointman.

"Just the laboratory remains. Judging by the excerpts we found and from what I know, the Tyrant is down there. If that monster is released, then nothing can stop it. It will destroy Raccoon City and then move on to the next one. A perfect Bio-Organic Weapon." Wesker´s voice was firm, but Chris heard the fear that laced it clearly.

"Then we destroy it first. Simple as that, right?" Far from it and he knew it, but Wesker still shot him a smile before kissing him.

"Right. Just stay close to me, Chris."

_"Always."_

They shared a smile before the door slid open.


	13. Sacrifice

The lab looked unnerving. Beeping and glowing lights and strange tanks and things Chris didn´t even know the name of, just that they were dangerous or made for something dangerous. He didn´t like the sight of it at all as he walked inside, the eerie green glow making him shudder. Something about the room just felt wrong. It wasn´t the proportions, but a presence. Something else was in here with them and it was definitely not friendly. When he glanced to Wesker to see how this all affected the man he saw only focus, the determination in the man´s face to see this through. 

He also recalled how Wesker told him that he worked in labs like this one and had been around this kind of thing since he was a child. It made the brunet just want to hold the man close and not let go. But that had to wait. Moving past a strange machine on the left. A strange chemical-like scent seemed to be in the air, but nothing that affected his breathing, for which he was thankful. Something still felt wrong.

And then he saw it. Him... that thing, whatever it was. Housed in the largest tank, the monster seemed to be either dead or asleep and he knew clearly which was the worse option. Everything about the thing was just wrong and when Chris saw the pulsating thing on its chest he startled, stepping back until his back hit another tank. "Wesker!"

"The Tyrant. Should have been a marvel of bio-organic engineering. Instead... it became this." Wesker sounded almost sad as he stared at the large tank, but Chris just felt terrified and wanted nothing more than to destroy it. That water, or whatever the liquid was, seemed to be what kept it alive, right? So getting rid of that might kill it, but he wasn´t that sure. "It used to be a human at one point, only the strongest individuals volunteered for the project, but I wanted to wait with the testing because it wasn´t complete. It seems I was overruled..."

"You... worked on this?" Chris felt disgusted as he continued to inspect the Tyrant, a sense of morbid fascination going over him as he stared at the left arm, the way it mutated, the way the skin seemed to be infected with something gross. And that pulsating thing made him feel sick to the stomach.

"Not what you see here, but the project itself, yes. It was connected to the serum..." Wesker moved to a computer, staring at the terminal before booting it up. Watching him type something when the screen lit up made Chris wish he understood computers better so he could tell what was happening. "I´m trying to shut it down for good. There has to be a safety switch somewhere, all it takes is to find it, but Chris, we are running out of time." Wesker nodded towards another screen.

"The presence of life so close is agitating the Tyrant. It´s... going to wake up. Unless destroyed. Christopher, I need you to leave and go with-"

_"No!"_

"Christopher, that´s an order!"

"I don´t care! You´re not staying behind to deal with this thing on your own or fight it or... whatever. I´m not leaving you, Wesker!" He felt the blue eyes stare at him, perhaps into his very core, but he didn´t relent or look away.

"I should be able to push you away and force you leave... when did I become this pathetic?" Wesker´s whisper made Chris smile and he pulled the man into a kiss.

"Probably around the same time I did. Come on, let´s finish this up and-" The low rumble drew his attention away from Wesker and towards the large tank. The water was starting to drain and Chris paled. "Wesker-"

"It appears we were too late after all." A gun was cocked and Chris reached for his own, watching the Tyrant slowly turn its ugly head. Without the water surrounding it, it looked even more disgusting than before. The barrier of the glass was still separating them and he took a step back, focusing on the monster. "Chris, I need you to keep away from it. It´s been designed to kill, not fight. And it will do exactly that."

"I´m not leaving your side." He knew that later he wouldn´t hear the end of it, but that was fine. The barrier might not hold, but at least it wasn´t moving just yet. All they had to do was find some kind of self-destruct sequence and then leave an this monster could die along with the mansion.

"Keep an eye on the Tyrant than while I work with the terminal. Shoot first if anything happens." Wesker didn´t like this at all and it showed in his voice, but Chris only nodded, watching his Captain move back towards the computer and his gaze fixed on the Tyrant. It was watching them for sure. He saw the ugly head move as Wesker did, following the man and for a moment he worried Wesker might be attacked, but then it looked to him and he stared right back.

"Wesker... it´s _watching_ us."

"As long as it is merely watching."

"Isn´t there some kind of gas you can flood it with in the tank?"

"Doubtful. It´s been engineered to be the perfect life-form." Wesker´s hands moved over the keyboard and he didn´t even look up, focused on what he was doing. Chris looked back to the Tyrant again, staring at the creature. Was it sentient? Maybe it could understand them or something. Lowering the gun briefly he stepped closer to the tank and stared at the monster.

"Chris!" The warning came too late as a monstrous hand broke past the glass, grabbing for him, but instead of a disgusting deathgrip, Chris was knocked to the ground, cutting his hand on a shard of glass. Two seconds later more showered him as something crashed into another tank, this one thankfully empty.

"Wesker!" The man was tossed into the tank and it shattered. The Tyrant let out a lot, guttural sound as it stepped out from the broken tank it slept in for who knew how long. But Chris only had eyes for Wesker, his eyes wide as he saw the man was bleeding, the shards cutting his exposed forearms, his forehead, even through the thick material of his pants and it was a fucking miracle none of them cut anything vital or pierced him through. But he wasn´t moving.

"Wesker!!" Crying out again he saw the man´s fingertips twitch and his chest rise as he took a deep breath. But he was dazed, the shades knocked from his face and near Chris´ hand. Grabbing them he hissed, pulling another shard from his hand and tucked the shades into his pocket. If he were to tend to Wesker now, the Tyrant would get them both. But the lab was big enough. If he could lead him to the other side, it might provide Wesker with enough time to compose himself and finish.

He knew he would never hear the end of it, but still stood up and before the monster could even focus on Wesker, Chris simply shot it, straight in the ugly head. "Hey you disgusting piece of shit! Wanna play?" he doubted it understood, but the shot got the work done. The Tyrant turned towards him and Chris stepped back. He trained for years to be able to deal with a ton of other shit. And this was just something new. He could do this.

He fired another shot, aiming for the head again and felt sickened that twice he hit his mark, yet the Tyrant remained standing before moving towards him. The stay in the tank probably hindered its movement for a long time since it was sluggish, but as long as it ignored Wesker, Chris didn´t care. He had to use the environment. Which there wasn´t a lot of and mostly breakable things and the terminal was important.

"Chris... stop-"

"Wesker! Just continue and I will keep it busy! Do it!" And then they could get out of here with Barry and Jill and a week from now they would be sitting in a bar talking about the future. Or something equally stupid, because Chris refused to die here or let anyone else die. He had enough. He caught Wesker´s eye briefly and there was a strange pain in them and something else he couldn´t place. But he couldn´t think right now.

Keeping the Tyrant busy was harder than he thought, mostly because of the restricted movement. And with each minute it seemed to be moving faster, more agile than before and no amount of gunshots did anything. He had to reload again, trapped in a corner and cursed. He had to continue! He heard the steady tapping of keys from the corner where Wesker stood, downloading all data he could find, but the slow computers, even top-technology Umbrella had available, was making it hard. They needed it though.

"I can do this... you´re just another monster..." Chris stared at the Tyrant, the ugly grin. His gaze fell to the powerful legs and focused on what he assumed was the knee, shooting at it and watched the monster fall over, unable to handle standing on just one with the bulk of its mass. Perfect! Chris had been trapped and with nowhere to go and this way he could move around, climbing over a shelf to get away from the Tyrant, but this way he would bring it closer to Wesker after a while.

"How much longer!?"

"A few minutes... I cannot hasten the process any more than I have." Wesker was breathing hard, sweat pearling on his forehead, causing the stray hair that escaped the customary style to stick to it. His eyes were clenched in pain and Chris stared in shock, trying to see where he was hurt. There was nothing though. He didn´t-

"Wesker? What´s-... wrong?" Chris took a step towards the man and stepped on a small tube. Glancing down he frowned, picking it up. He hadn´t seen one of these anywhere before. And close to where Wesker was thrown into the empty tank was a slip of paper that Chris knew wasn´t there before. The Umbrella logo on the tube bothered him the most. "What did you do? Wesker, what did you do!?"

"I will do whatever it takes to protect you, Chris." He never heard his voice sound like that. Not when he was shot or healing, when he was upset or tired or anything! It sounded like agony was burning through the man´s body and his knuckles were white from the force he used to keep himself upright. "No matter the cost..."

"Wes-" Chris didn´t get to finish as the Tyrant knocked him down, a vile hand grabbing onto his leg as the creature stood up. No time to pick himself up first, Chris raised his gun instead, firing at the monster, trying to hit both the head and the pulsating thing and the knees, anything that would stop it.

*click* *click*

"Fuck!" Of all the times to run out of bullets, this was the worst one yet. He still had his knife, but what could a knife do in the face of a monster like this? Wesker´s bullets were doing nothing, missing more than now. This... was probably it. The end.

He saw the Tyrant as it reached back with the mutated limb, sharp appendages pressing together to form a sharp point and Chris knew exactly where it would go. And he was ready. As long as someone would find a way to stop it, to destroy the mansion then he was fine with this, even if he was kinda crying now. So when the Tyrant moved forward he braced himself, eyes clenched shut, but instead of pain he just felt something drop down on him.

Opening his eyes he almost wished he hadn´t, staring at Wesker as the man stood there above him, the Tyrant´s arm through his torso, the blood dripping from the long fingers and onto Chris. It was just like weeks ago, but worse. Far worse. His lips parted, but he wasn´t sure what sound left as he stared.

He never even told the man... he never told Wesker that he loved him.

_"Chris..."_ Limp hands slowly moved, gripping onto the Tyrant´s limb and Chris stared in shock. By all means, Wesker should be dead, but instead he was moving? How? Adrenaline before death? But no, the man was actually pushing the limb back, out of his body and Chris felt sick as he saw the gaping wound that was left behind. Only to see it slowly get smaller...?

"What? Wesker?"

"I´ll explain later..." The man´s voice was steadier than before, still laced with pain, but focused as always. Gloved hands gripped at the Tyrant´s arm before the older man moved forward and slammed the creature into one of the empty tanks, grabbing a broken shard, ignoring the cut it made in his hand and stabbed at the limb until he quite literally tore it off. Chris watched the twitching limb land close to where he was still lying on the floor before he began to seemingly disintegrate into a mess of... whatever it was, it was gross.

"You dared to try to hurt him..." Wesker´s voice was so calm as he tossed the shard away, the cut in his glove visible, but nothing on his hand. And his combat vest and shirt had holes in them, but there was no way to connect the ones on his front and the ones on his back, the body between them without as much as a scratch. Chris could only stare before forcing his body to move and sat up, reaching for the tube. An injection... and the note that went with it.

He was torn between reading it and watching Wesker literally tear the Tyrant to shreds with his bare hands. No man was this strong, but to him it seemed like nothing as he moved, rendering the monster unable to do anything, but take it. He looked back at the paper in his hand, aware of how new it felt. 

"Virus... resurrection... powerful?" At least 5 minutes before needed... that was about as long as he managed to distract the Tyrant while Wesker worked on the terminal. Glancing to the screen he saw a happy message stating that all information has been copied onto the disc.

"Nobody hurts my _Star_!" Wesker yelled at the Tyrant before grabbing the ugly head and simply tore it off, tossing it on the ground. The sickening sound made Chris´ stomach turn and he couldn´t watch, instead managed to stand up and retrieve the disc when he heard another disturbing sound of something being crushed. One look and he saw that he shelf he moved around has been moved, standing now right above where the head was dropped... Oh.

"Wesker... what did you do?" Chris held up the syringe, the note he found and wanted answers, but there were none to be given. "What have you done to yourself!?" He was angry. And he felt like he had every right to be angry as he stared at the man, watching Wesker calmly walk over to him, but when he took a step back from the man Wesker stopped and stood there.

"I did what I had to do to protect you." His voice was so soft and calm, as though nothing happened.

"You injected yourself with a _virus_..."

"Not the one we encountered. This was Birkin´s work. It would either kill me... or do what you read in the note. It was a risk I was willing to take." Wesker still didn´t move staring at Chris, then looked down and touched the hole in his clothes. "And it worked. You saw the effect yourself." Chris´ eyes left the man, moving to the remains of the now dead Tyrant, then back to the man.

"Your eyes... they´re red." Where was the blue he loved so much? Staring at the man he slowly took a step forward, hesitating as he saw the frown. Wesker was concentrating on something, closing his eyes, clutching the side of his head for a moment, but when he opened his eyes the startling blue was back.

"A side-effect... an unavoidable one it seems. But it is a small price to pay for saving your life, Christopher."

"You nearly died again because of me."

Wesker said nothing. Chris knew about the virus he had been injected with as a child, how it was probably responsible for the accelerated healing and maybe something more, but seeing him like this, seeing him destroy the Tyrant with power no human should possess, move at a speed that was hard to follow and recover from having that monster impale him...

"I´m still the same man." Chris wasn´t sure whether he was trying to convince himself or someone else. Finally standing close he reached out and touch the man´s cheek. Warm. Just like the blue eyes that stared at him so sadly now. Wesker risked his life again for him, risked becoming a monster just to save him.

_"I love you."_ The words slipped out before he wanted them to, but recalling how much regret he felt upon realizing he never told the man as the blood dripped from those sharp claws, he didn´t want to wait any longer.

Blue eyes widened in shock, Wesker staring at him, obviously startled by the confession and Chris thought he saw the smallest hint of pink in his cheeks. Of all the times to surprise the man and make him react like this...

"I love you, Albert. No matter what happens." He whispered again, pulling the man into a kiss.

His lips were still the same; soft and warm and inviting. No matter what, he still loved this man.


	14. Fireworks in July

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Yea, the same kind of warning as before, only no beds, just a desk.
> 
> For Larniishu. ;)

Chris stared at the man, still unable to believe that he injected himself with a virus. To save _him_. But the kiss felt the same, as though nothing changed between the first time they kissed and this very moment. The silence of the lab was almost too much now and he slowly pulled away, walking around the broken tanks to see the monster that nearly did him in. Or what remained of him. The Tyrant was not moving any longer, limbs torn off and the head was a gross mess beneath the heavy shelf. Wesker lifted it with such ease...

_"Damn..."_

But he didn´t want to linger there, instead he moved to the terminal. Nothing more to use from that place. The information was all on a disc now and all they had to do was submit it to the authorities that went above S.T.A.R.S. and... and then what? He wasn´t sure what would happen after that, but something told him that it was their word, even with evidence, against the word of someone powerful enough to buy those authorities.

And the information probably had Wesker´s name as well as those of others who were forced to do Umbrella´s bidding. It wasn´t over yet. With a sigh he walked back to Wesker and just wrapped his arms around him, hugging him tightly to reassure himself that at least this nightmare was over and when arms locked around him and held him, Chris felt comforted. His Captain was still here and alive and right now that was the only thing that mattered.

"We should probably go... meet up with Barry and Jill an just get out of here." He never wanted to step into another creepy mansion after this. With a sigh he pulled away, only to be tugged back and into Wesker´s chest, warm lips on his own and without thinking he kissed the man back. One of his hands slid over Wesker´s back, touching the spot where he had seen the Tyrant impale him, but there was only smooth, war skin instead.

"In a moment..." The whisper made him shudder and he broke the kiss to stare at the man.

"But we-"

"I need to make sure... that you are alive. That I didn´t pass out and this isn´t all just a dream. That I could save you." There was pain in the man´s voice he hadn´t known before and Chris nodded, hugging him close once more, nuzzling into his neck. The man´s pulse was still there and strong, the mark Chris placed beneath the collar already fading. But now he could make more of them. In fact, nothing was stopping him from doing that now.

Lips pressed to Wesker´s neck and he sucked gently, drawing a moan from the older man and when he pulled away and sat the mark he had left he could only grin. But the expression faded when he watched it fade away into pale skin, slowly, as though he merely fogged up a window with his breath.

"I guess... you have super healing now. This is annoying." So he could still make marks, only that they wouldn´t stay. A soft chuckle came from the man and he looked at Wesker.

"I am merely learning how to control these... abilities. With due time, I am sure I can force my body to ignore the marks you make so they stay as they should." Chris had doubts that the man could do that but who knew, Wesker loved to keep surprising him. Coming back from the dead, twice, seemed to make this an easy feat.

So instead he just kissed the man again, lips crashing to Wesker´s as he poured all the emotion he felt into the one kiss, including his anger over witnessing the man impaled like that. And the lips responded, soothing his worried and taking away from the care because Wesker was right there and alive and he wasn´t going anywhere. They stood in the lab, kissing like that for what felt like long minutes and when they finally parted his skin was flushed.

"This is... probably not the place..." Not that he was suggesting anything. Not at all. But there were bedrooms at the mansion that looked actually nice.

"Probably not..." Wesker nodded, agreeing, but instead of pulling away he pushed Chris into a desk, kissing him again as he lifted the younger man onto it, strong hang tugging hi shirt free from his pants. "We should also probably head up to meet with the others and get out of here. Now that there is no more danger..."

"Yea... they probably want to know what happened... that we are alright..." Chris agreed, but instead of moving away he pulled Wesker into another kiss. This was not the time or the place and neither one cared. The desire to make sure that he was not just dreaming, that Wesker was still alive and well, was more powerful than anything else. The desk gave a faint rattle as Wesker shifted to pull him closer, a hand on his pants and deftly dealing with his belt.

"They can wait." Wesker decided as he finally got the pants undone and tugged them off the younger man´s ass. The desk was cold against his skin, making Chris yelp as the garment was tugged off just enough to allow Wesker access to everything. He couldn´t deny that he desired him, the proof standing proudly between his legs, a sight that made Wesker smile even more as he kissed him again, the same hand that dealt with the pants now stroking him.

"I can´t..." Chris whined, the heat from the hand making his length twitch while the blond chuckle against his lips. As he pulled away and he was staring into the blue eyes, he realized that he never got a response to his confession, but he silenced the voice in his head quickly. What response could possibly be apt when the man injected himself with a virus and nearly died again for him? That was more than any love confession could be.

He didn´t get to think about this for too long, thankfully, Wesker working the top of his pants quickly, grunting when the zipper took longer than he wanted it to. So Chris pushed his hand away and did it himself, pulling it carefully down, his knuckles brushing over the bulge hidden beneath. Wesker seemed to have a liking for black designer underwear the same way Chris liked his cartoony ones. But not even designer brands were enough to hide the man´s desire and Chris pulled the down to reveal more of the man.

But seeing the length reminded him that they had nothing to use and frankly, as much as he loved Wesker, he doubted he could take him without some lube. All the greater was his surprise when Wesker pulled a small tube out of his pocket without the smallest hint of shame and opened it with his teeth, squirting some of the clear gel onto his fingers.

"Always prepared... like a fucking boy scout." Chris teased him, just before two fingers pushed inside him and silenced any further taunts that could come from him. Wesker only smiled more, working the digits inside the male, pressing them to his prostate, drawing out a loud, startled cry that echoed in the room. 

"That´s what I love to hear, Christopher." Again with that purr in his voice, his name once more lengthened as if to prove a point and Chris shuddered, thighs spread as he stared down at the fingers moving in and out of his body. The third digit still felt tight, but nothing like the first time. He was getting used to this. Another deep press of the digits and his hands grasped at the man´s sleeves to find some stability. He could have easily just bent Chris over the desk and done it like that, but after the one time late at the office a few days ago, Wesker realized that he loved to watch him. He also whispered something about mirrors that Chris didn´t quite get.

"You look amazing like this..." Wesker´s whisper snapped him back into reality and he pulled the man into a kiss, moaning out his name as the fingers left his body and more of that wet sound followed, then something small fell to the floor and he didn´t care. Instead he pressed closer to the man, the edge of the desk digging into his ass as the blunt head of Wesker´s member pressed against him. Vaguely aware that they had no condoms on hand he realized he didn´t care as the man pushed inside him and in one smooth thrust buried himself deep inside.

Nothing would ever get him used to that sensation and Chris cried out, overwhelmed for a moment, but was swiftly pulled back into reality as he stared into Wesker´s eyes and felt the man move. There would be time for something gentle and loving later. Right now he just wanted to feel the man, wanted to make sure he was alive and this was the perfect way to do exactly that. Pulling him close again, Chris stole his lips in another heated kiss while Wesker started to move, his hands gripping Chris´ hips as the desk shook beneath them. 

The echo of their bodies connecting over and over again was actually embarrassing, but weirdly erotic, only interrupted by moans and whimpers and the rhythmic banging of the desk as Wesker thrust inside him. Chris felt the pleasure surge through him, the kind of heat that nothing could ever compare to and it was the same heat he felt before. It made his heart race and head spin and he knew he would never feel this way about anyone else ever. 

_He loved Wesker, virus or not._

But considering it saved the man´s life somehow, he was glad it existed. He gripped the desk with one hand and reached between them to grab his own length with the other, the initial touch almost too much. Lips found his neck, sucking and biting at the skin and he moaned, unsure whether to grip at the base of his length to prolong this or to push on, but the decision was made for him quickly as Wesker changed the angle, gripping his hips harder and pushed straight against his prostate. Chris barely touched his length before he came, eyes wide and body quaking with the overwhelming sensation, a faint moan falling from his lips as Wesker tensed above him and released as well.

"Chris..." The now familiar heat filled him and Chris pulled the man close, not caring that their clothes were dirty, that they were in a fucking laboratory or that the others were probably waiting. And he certainly didn´t care about anything else either. All that mattered was the man he hugged close and how he felt the powerful heartbeat. He was utterly, stupidly in love. 

They stood like that for a while, Wesker hugging him close, buried inside him still and Chris´ hands gripping at his shirt to ensure he wouldn´t go anywhere. Whatever communication passed between them was silent and there was no need for words. When the older man pulled away, his cheeks flushed, Chris grinned briefly before looking down at the mess that was their bodies. They had to find a bathroom to clean up. And his shirt...! Maybe he should just rip the piece off and tell them a zombie did it or something.

"Wesker...Chris... -me in! Res-..ond damn it!" Jill´s crackling voice startled him and he looked around, reaching for the radio that hung off his belt, but couldn´t quite reach it in the current position. Wesker kissed him and pulled away, grabbing it himself while Chris tried to see if he could stand.

"Jill?"

"Wesker! Barry! It´s Wesker!" Excited as always. Wesker watched Chris grab some tissues and try to clean himself up before giving him a dirty look. They passed a few facilities on their way here they could use to clean up now...

"Yes, it´s me. And Chris is right here as well. Everything´s alright."

"Everything? You mean... everything, when you say that, right?"

"Indeed, I do. How are you and Barry?"

"That asshole Vickers came back! Barry knocked him out before I could though, so I´m pissed. But the helicopter´s here on the rooftop! Can you make it? We can come and help-"

"No, stay there, we´ll be with you shortly. And... do me a favour. Tie the man up. I have a few things I want answered and I do not trust him not to betray us again." Not after seeing his name mentioned in one of the reports on the computer screen.

"What about the helicopter?"

"I can fly us back without any trouble." Wesker finally finished fumbling around with his belt and looked more presentable. Chris was having some more trouble and he chuckled, pulling him close, kissing his lips once more.

"How? You can fly? Why didn´t you?"

"I didn´t feel like it. It´s more comfortable to be a passenger." There was silence on the other hand for a moment.

"Just hurry your asses up here so I can kick them for worrying us. Over and out." The radio went silent and Wesker attached it to his belt for now, pulling Chris gently to his side, kissing his temple. 

Once both men made sure they left nothing of importance behind, Chris taking the empty virus injection and the note from who he assumed was Birkin, he gave the Tyrant´s torso one good kick. Nothing. Only then he was ready to leave while Wesker put in a self-destruct sequence that provided them with enough time to get away. 

The brief bathroom stop was necessary though and Wesker waited outside, a smug smile on his lips when Chris rejoined him after a few minutes. The backtracking was annoying, but at least there were no unpleasant surprised. Though both men had their guns ready, nothing jumped out. The mansion was silent, the horrors inside it finally dead. They worked perfectly as a duo, moving through the hallways until they reached the final door and Wesker kicked it open. 

The sight of the waiting helicopter was a most welcome one, but not as much seeing Vickers gagged and bound in the back. One glare from Wesker and he was staring down, unable to meet his gaze. 

"Wesker! Chris! What happened?" Jill rushed to them only to stop and stare. Chris had blood on him again while Wesker looked as though he went through hell. Or at least his clothes did.

"Long story. We´ll tell you everything once we are away from here. The self-destruct sequence is counting down."

"Everything?" Chris looked at him, worried, the empty injection in his pocket feeling heavy for a moment, until he watched Wesker nod.

"Yes. Everything. I have a feeling this is far from over. If anything... this might be just the start. But let´s not waste any more time here. Get in the helicopter." They obeyed without a word, Barry securing Vickers in the back while Jill helped Chris. 

"Did you get hurt?"

"Not really. The Tyrant though... that thing was massive. And disgusting." Leaning back in the comfortable seat he closed his eyes for a moment, watching Wesker easily slide into the pilot´s seat and soon the blades began to turn above them, the helicopter rising off the roof. Of course he knew how to fly a damn helicopter. The man was perfect. Maybe now more than ever before.

"I can´t believe you two had time to make out... you have a new hickey." Jill teased him and Chris smiled, not even trying to hide it. Something about the smile made Jill stare before she gasped. "You didn´t-!"

"It will all make sense once I explain everything, Jill. For now... shall we enjoy the fireworks as a final fuck you to Umbrella? Or one of the first ones, if you will." Wesker flew a safe distance away and the four of them stared at the mansion.

Watching it blow up felt incredibly satisfying. And Wesker was right. This was the first of many the _fuck you_ s they would give Umbrella.


	15. It is not over yet.

The S.T.A.R.S. police station was quiet. They all ignored the news on the radio about a mansion blowing up in the Arklay Mountains. Ignored the reports about strange occurrences. A new day began in Raccoon City and they dealt with one mess and it was the start of something far bigger. Jill went out after a while, getting them some much-needed coffee and food from a diner down the street. They ate in silence in the main office, the mood solemn and somewhat sad. S.T.A.R.S. were done and they all knew it. 

Brad Vickers was currently detained in the empty Bravo office. They wouldn´t be coming back and all of them wanted to make sure he knew what he caused. When Wesker finally showed him the names on the list of Umbrella-used personnel, seeing Vickers and Chief Irons there hurt. They trusted them, maybe one more than the other, but still. When Barry barged into Irons´ office a while after that he found it empty, all valuables gone.

But before dealing with Brad, Wesker told him all that happened down at the laboratory. When Chris presented the note from William Birkin he also had to explain the research the man worked on in secret.

"The original intent was to promote to growth of new cells in cancer patients. That was the research we all signed up for, what we thought we were doing. But as you all know, somewhere along the line things changed. Now it´s... Umbrella is at full power, able to use people for its experiments without any backlash. It´s too easy for them to hand off a briefcase of money and smile." Wesker sighed as he leaned back, toying with the empty syringe.

"You´re not going to turn into one of those... things, right?" Barry stared at him, frowning, not liking this at all.

"No. Either the virus would have killed me, revived me without any effect or... the most favourable result of all, provided me with what I needed to protect Chris. It bonded to the virus injected into me as a child. And as you can see-" Wesker reached for the knife on his desk, dragging the sharp edge over his palm.

"Captain! What-oh... wow!" Jill watched the cut close immediately and Barry whistled. The only one who obviously didn´t like it was Chris.

"Healing, speed, power... those are the known side-effects, but I will need to speak to Birkin to find out the rest. But I don´t know where he is or if he is even safe. For now, we need to focus on the matter at hand." He set the knife down and leaned forward.

"S.T.A.R.S. are over. Bravo team is gone, Joseph is dead and that traitor will pay for what he had done, I will make sure of that. Umbrella has power and what we have can easily be called a fake. It´s not enough. We need to bring it down, but four of us against someone like that is... it´s impossible." Nobody liked the sound of that, even if they knew it to be the truth.

"There have to be others. Umbrella might be strong, but they cannot hide from the world that what happened here was their fault. Even leaked evidence will make people suspicious and we can work with that. Somebody has to come forward. And if they still trust you, then we have that going for us." Chris stared at the man, standing up. "If Umbrella will think that you are still working for them, then we can use that."

"Can we really do something like this though?"

"I think we all need some time to consider our options. Because this isn´t something that will be over in a week. Devoting your life to fighting crime is one thing. Fighting bio-terrorism a whole other. After today, I want you all to go home and think, consider your options and decide what you want to do, not what is expected of you." Wesker raised his hand when Jill tried to say something and once she nodded he smiled, standing up. "Now, let us deal with Vickers..."

\---

"I swear I was being blackmailed! I didn´t do anything!" Chris´ hands were clenched into fists as he stared at the shouting man. Still handcuffed, Vickers was trying to appeal to them so hard, but nothing worked.

"Blackmail does not involve sums of money to buy a Rolex watch." Wesker´s voice made him freeze and as Brad looked to his wrist he paled.

"That´s... a gift! From my-"

"Don´t even fucking try to lie, Vickers. No woman would touch you." Jill sneered at him. "Because of you, Joseph is dead. The whole Bravo team is gone and Raccoon City..." Nobody tried to stop her when she reached out and punched the man. "You make me sick."

"You will be dealt with accordingly, Vickers. Though it would be easy to just kill you and blame it on the zombies or Umbrella, if anyone would give a damn, I have something else in mind." Wesker looked away from the man and walked to the window, waiting for the car he ordered to pull up. Watching two men in masks and dark military clothes get out he smiled and turned to Vickers.

"Come on-you can´t do this! We´re all on the same team!"

"Correction. We were on the same team. No longer. S.T.A.R.S. is disbanding and frankly, you were always the weakest link. To think that you would betray us all and for what? Money?" Wesker laughed and the door burst open. Chris reached for his gun, but a hand stopped him.

"It´s alright. Gentlemen, make sure Vickers here is taken care of. After what he had done, I shall leave the decision to deal with him to your commander." Wesker took his shades off, his eyes closed for a moment and when he opened them, the red glow made everyone in the room stare. "Expect further orders soon. Dismissed. Oh, one more thing... crush the watch to a fine powder in front of the man." 

"Roger. Move out." Brad screamed, but the sound was gone once the door slammed shut behind them and the men were gone. The screech of tires outside was the only thing that let them know that they were gone and Wesker looked at the remains of his Alpha team.

"Wesker..."

"Yes, my eyes. A side-effect of the virus, I´m afraid, a rather hard to control one as well. I guess I will have to keep wearing these." Putting the shades back on he looked to Chris who looked unhappy, but said nothing. He always loved Wesker´s eyes and still had that pair of broken shades at home. He refused to throw them away. Ever.

"Who were those men?"

"The H. C.F. or Hive/Host Capture Force. Contrary to the name, they are highly skilled and useful when it comes to retrieving information and removing unwanted personnel. And yes, it is exactly as it sounds. They are a private military force, so you need not worry." They walked back to the Alpha´s office, more explanations waiting. Plans for what had to be done, how to deal with things.

"Whose military force?"

" _Mine_ , of course."

"Wesker... just how much have you been doing aside from being the S.T.A.R.S. Captain?" Barry sat down at his desk and stared at the man.

"Jill, please make more coffee. This will... take a while to explain."

\---

They were at the office until evening, when the commotion outside was finally calming down. People were leaving Raccoon City in droves, which was a good idea. Parting ways that night, Wesker presumed he might not see Barry or Jill again. After all, Barry had a family to protect and take care of and Jill could use her talents elsewhere. Chris however, was glued to his side. And the younger man wasn´t going anywhere. They went to Wesker´s place, taking a long shower together, but instead of indulging fell into bed and slept until late in the morning.

Chris woke up to find red eyes watching him.

"I miss the blue..." When Wesker´s eyes closed and opened again, he found the gaze he loved smiling at him.

The following week was spent planning. Making sure all evidence was properly stored. They took their things from the police station, Wesker making sure to neatly store the drawing Moira and Polly made of him. Barry´s desk was already cleaned up as was Jill´s, the station now silent. It was... unnerving. But Chris decided that as long as they were together, they would find a way to deal with things. And he was learning more and more about Wesker each day.

Mid-August, there was a knock on Wesker´s door, but Chris was the one to open. A grinning Jill stood there, pizza box in hand and a smiling Barry behind her, prompting Chris to return to the bedroom to put his clothes back on while Wesker finished showering.

"Kathy and the girls are safe and I have a duty to make sure the world is safe for them and everyone else." That was Barry´s reasoning as he opened another beer, looking at the news on the TV. Umbrella covered up the incident really fucking well. Bastards. Chris contently munched on the pizza, eyes on Jill as she smiled.

"I like doing what I do. And I´m good at it. I want to see this whole business finished. Same for you, right, Chris? Aside from having a personal stake in it as well." Swallowing the mouthful he smiled back.

"Definitely. I´m not letting them get away with this. Even if it will take years... decades, I don´t care. We´ll bring them down and everyone else. Right, Wesker?" The man finished pouring the beer from his can into a glass, making Barry ask if he even knew how to drink from one, which he instantly ignored, and the blond nodded.

"Gathering evidence against Umbrella will take a while. A few years at least. They have the power to rise back even when knocked down, so it won´t be easy and others might follow their example. Already I have been contacted by a rival company of theirs to work on their research, which might enable us to use more assets. For now though, I think leaving Raccoon City should be our first step. This place is no longer safe. I have been unable to contact Birkin as well. By the end of the month we should all leave. Plenty of time I would say." Chris was worried, but tried not to show it. 

He had his own thing going. Determined not to let Wesker get hurt again, not to allow the man to protect him so much and worry over his safety, he wanted to get stronger. Needed to get stronger, more powerful. More in control. And he would. 

"Where will you go?"

"Europe. England, to be precise, to ease the language barrier for Christopher. Anti bio-terrorism organizations are making themselves known and Europe is the seat of many, which will enable me to work closer with them and with Umbrella while being in control of what happens and how. We might not see each other often, of course." His hidden gaze lingered on Barry and Jill, but they seemed to already know this. 

"We´ll keep in contact somehow. So, we´re really doing this, huh? Fighting zombies and those who make them. It´s kinda annoying though..." Jill grabbed another slice, sliding off the couch to sit on the floor. "I liked calling you Captain, but with S.T.A.R.S. disbanded... maybe we should make our own group of vigilantes."

"Just so you can call me _Captain_?"

"... that does sound kinda stupid." Jill huffed and the three men actually laughed. It was kinda ridiculous, but Chris knew what she meant The routine of coming to work, dealing with reports and Joseph whistling, training in the afternoon and keeping Raccoon City safe. He would miss it.

"Who knows, Jill. One day, maybe I will be the one to call you Captain. Or Christopher here." Wesker smiled at him and Chris chuckled, shaking his head. No way that would ever happen. He was more of a follower. Forgetting they had guests he kissed Wesker softly and turned to his food, missing the stare from Jill and Barry completely.

"Wesker."

"Yes, Jill?"

"What colour are your eyes?"

_-5 years later-_

"Wesker, we´re here! And it´s cold as fuck!" Chris tugged the jacket tighter around him as a cold wind whizzed past.

"I told you to wear a scarf, but nooo, I don´t need one, Jill, it will only get in the way. Well, serves you right!" Jill glared at the man, checking the coordinates. Wesker should be close.

"I agree with Jill. I´m outside the small village north of where you two are, about two miles north. Be on your guard. The wolves were no rumours and who knows what else is around." Wesker´s voice came clear through the headpiece and the two nodded, moving through the thick snow until they found a road that would lead to the village.

The rise of bio-organic weapons, or B.O.W., as they were now called, came shortly after the sterilization of Raccoon City. The destruction was a shock, prompting Wesker to bury himself into research, making new contacts and using his military force to obtain more and more information. The man barely slept and ate until he finally began to see the fruit of his effort, at which point he nearly collapsed from exhaustion. Chris was very unhappy.

Keeping in contact with Jill and Barry was not easy, but they managed. Information was sent via a spy network that Wesker established, a woman named Ada Wong, whom he recognized as the one who left the man´s place after he was shot years ago, being the most reliable of them all. Still, Chris wasn´t sure he trusted her. Wesker himself though, rose in power. Umbrella was like a toy, but there were others, maybe even more dangerous ones slowly starting to rise. Tricell. The Family. The Federal Bioterrorism Commission were only three of the frequent names.

And now they were close to the first goal. Destroying Umbrella once and for all. Already it fell from grace, picking itself up each time. The final blow had to be dealt quickly. It had to be dealt now. And they were ready. 

"So, how was your Valentine´s day?" Chris yelled to Jill as the snow finally stopped blowing into their faces and he saw the lights of the village in the distance. The weather was better once they left the mountains.

"Awful. He tried to talk me into how women should stand in the kitchen and look pretty. Then I started talking about my favourite guns and scared the shit out of him. Never letting that girl set me up ever again! The waiter was fun though. Once the asshole left we had a fun night. And you... don´t tell me, I can see." Jill reached out, a cold, gloved finger prodding his neck where another red mark bloomed against the skin. 

"We had fun."

"No shit. I thought he would get tired of that teenage crap. But..." When they finally reached the village and found Wesker standing there, black coat a stark contrast against the white of the snow, she saw a similar mark on his neck. "You two are a lot alike."

"Huh? How?" Seeing his lover, Chris grinned at him, waving.

"For example, neither of us wearing a scarf in this damn weather." Wesker smirked.


	16. B.S.A.A.

The biggest news of the week, maybe the year, and they have all been waiting for it for months. Chris insisted on making the food, mostly small bits to eat while celebrating and Barry brought the champagne. The moment the news anchor said the magic words they were ready.  
Umbrella Corporation is officially finished.  
Only barely they managed avoiding a spill on the carpet as Barry poured the champagne. For years they have been working towards this moment. Spy networks, funded by weird companies, information that was often lethal if not handled carefully and at last, it was all worth it. 

Wesker helped him with the glasses as Jill decided to ignore his warnings and throw a handful of confetti. But this was a celebration after all. She had every right to. Chris did not hesitate to pick her up and spin her, barely avoiding the coffee table before setting her down. A moment later he pulled Wesker into a deep kiss, ignoring the whistle from the woman. It was finally over. At least for this one hurdle, they were finally done. And it was all worth it in the end. 

Stealing Wesker´s shades he grinned and stared into the glowing red-yellow eyes. He had gotten used to them over time and it wasn´t bad, though he missed the blue, but once he found out about the strain it put on Wesker to maintain the colour for even a while he refused to let him do that. It´s been over five years after all. Plenty of time to get used to some changes.

"Finally those fuckers are down. And the most recently recovered info is going to help take down all those black market deals faster." Barry sat down, leaning back in the soft chair and for a moment Chris thought he looked older than he was. Tired even. Maybe he should... no, better not go there. At least yet. After all, he was the same age as Wesker and his lover looked fucking fantastic. Even before the virus.

"Damn right! And thanks to all the work and the contacts we made, we have more people backing us up. But... a few are calling for an organized name and an institution of some kind. We had offers, but so far..." Jill frowned, then shook her head and grabbed what Chris called a mini-pizza off the plate, silencing her mouth as to not ruin the mood.

"Actually, that´s not a bad idea. If we are going to continue, and I know a few of us are, we might as well make this official. Funds are not easy to come by and having the backing of big names will provide necessary influence. As of right now, our agents are scattered all over the world. A name to work under would not be bad." Wesker sat down, Chris right beside him, a strong arm around the older man´s shoulder.

When Chris started to work out, nobody thought twice about it. But Wesker saw the little changes bit by bit. Felt them even more as he touched the man. And he didn´t need to be a genius to figure out why Chris was so focused. It was rather impressive actually. Especially since he claimed to be only halfway to his goal, but his old clothing no longer fit properly, the shirts stretched out and pants too tight. Wesker secretly approved of those, since they made the man´s ass look fantastic, even if they were a pain to take off.

"Forkball and the others seemed rather keen on the idea on working under a unified name and want to establish and organization that will fight bio-terrorism all over the world. Divisions for every continent, teams and information networks. We have all of that in a way, but there is still something lacking." Wesker leaned back into Chris, then looked up at him. "I think you and Jill would be perfect to found an organization like that. You two became the idols towards which others strive and ended up joining our cause."

"Us? No way! That´s just... I mean you and Barry have more experience!"

"Leave me out. I just follow what I am told. Sometimes. I have my way of working and I got used to following you two around." Barry shook his head and smirked at them.

"Then you, Wesker, would be-"

"I am infected with a virus. And even if I were not, my connection to Umbrella and others would make that connection-"

" _Exactly_! What could be better, than showing the fossils of Umbrella that they were taken down from the inside? And that way those who are still struggling might come forward to help. You said it yourself that many were forced and blackmailed, threatened to work for them." Jill smiled at him. "Having you figure as one of the founders will provide even more credibility to our cause. As for the virus... you always wore the shades. It´s your style. So there wouldn´t be much change. An after all you have done it would be unfair for you not to be praised."

"I have to agree with Jill on this. Wesker, you spent years working on this and putting yourself in the line of fire, literally, which allowed Umbrella to finally fall. So many deaths and tragedies were prevented."

"See? Everyone agrees. So it´s settled. We´ll call for a meeting with Forkball and the others and settle on a name and whatever else is necessary." Chris beamed at him, feeling victorious when Wesker was rendered speechless. And when the man sighed he knew they won and hugged him tightly, kissing his cheek. "You deserve recognition for all you have done. And if someone will try to argue then Jill can tell them to fuck off."

"Happily so!" She raised her glass of champagne and drained the remains, refilling it just as quickly.

"Sometimes I miss the days when I would give you lot an order and you would follow it, more or less." Wesker complained softly, earning himself a chuckle from Barry while Chris shrugged. He never really got to the point where he could follow an order perfectly.

"Who knows, maybe I will get to call you Captain soon enough thanks to this." Jill slid down onto her usual spot on the carpet.

"Careful, I might start thinking you only want me on board so you can do that."

\---

Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance, but Wesker preferred B.S.A.A.. The shortcut rolled off the tongue easier than the full name, but it was fitting. The crest itself was rather impressive as well. Operating under the same name and having someone to report to seemed to increase the effectiveness of the agents within the first ten weeks rather greatly, which pleased the directors greatly. Though a few seemed surprised when a handful insisted on being active operatives instead of sitting in comfortable offices.

Wesker´s presence was a strange one. Some were suspicious, but others backed him up, for once someone other than Jill and Chris. Clive himself agreed that he would be an asset and when the evidence of his work was presented, his name figured on the hidden archived file as one of the founders. Still, he remained active, working often with the newcomers.

So much demand arose after the fall of Umbrella, the B.O.W. spreading through the black market, terror left in their wake causing the world to turn to the few who could fight it. And quickly the B.S.A.A. became the most sought-after organization to take them out. Funds and support helped them expand from the England headquarters within a few months and operations all over the world became easier. Before the end of the year, Umbrella´s downfall and the rise of the B.S.A.A. became a symbol of new hope.

But it was far from over.

"I knew I should have gone with him. But he insisted on taking the new hire to test her... when was the last time you established contact with them?" Wesker was angry and it showed, the glow behind the shades evident whenever he raised his voice. The man seated in the chair in his office remained calm though, looking at the file on his knees.

"The Queen Zenobia cruise liner in the Mediterranean. I already spoke to Valentine and she will be going with Luciani to search for them. As of yet-"

"I´m going." Wesker stood up, not even bothering to wait.

"Wesker, that´s bullshit and you know it. Valentine and Luciani are more than capable of finding the two."

"But I don´t trust Sherawat. She´s been suspicious since the moment of her arrival. Her papers... no, I don´t have time for this. I have to find Chris." Wesker stormed out of his office, drawing the attention of two guards down the hall, but that didn´t matter. He had to get aboard that ship.

"Wesker! I understand that you´re angry, but I can´t let you just jump into the fray!" Clive followed, having to jog to catch up with the other man. 

"So you plan to stop me? You and what army? Because even then, it won´t be enough. I´m going with Jill and Luciani to find Chris and that woman." The strange low from behind the man´s shades stopped the man called Forkball. This was bad. This wasn´t the plan. Things were supposed to go different, but he had no other choice.

"Then... come with me, we need to talk."

\---

"Why is it that I always get stuck with snow?" Chris didn´t like this at all. His leg was throbbing like hell and he was annoyed that his new partner, albeit temporary, seemed to be enjoying it all. Jessica was not bad, she had skill and talent, but she was not Jill. And she was definitely not Wesker. Just thinking about the man made him frown and look around. He had enough wolves to last him a lifetime. Fucking monsters. And definitely infected with something.

"Still no radio contact. The base is up ahead, so we might have more luck there. How´s the leg?" Her cheerful tone annoyed him even more. When Jill was cheerful, there was always snark in it and she would tease him and tell him that Wesker would kiss it better. Which he would no doubt. Aside from being pissed that he got hurt again.

"Manageable." Chris muttered, not looking at her as he just wanted to finally get out. As they reached the base he motioned for her to stop, listening for any noise or sound, but there was nothing. At least some good news.

\---

"What do you mean they are missing!? And Wesker as well? Why was he even there?" Chris shouted at the radio, slamming his fist into the table. A rescue mission to find them and now they were gone. There was a small comfort that Wesker was with them, but at the same time he now had two people to worry about. Well, three. Luciani was with Jill somewhere, but the man was reliable. At least more than his own partner.

"I´m sending a chopper to get you, so don´t move. Regroup at the HQ and then I´m sending you out to find them. With Il Vitro active we have no time to waste!" Clive sounded frantic and Chris matched his tone. Even though he felt composed, he didn´t want to spend another second in these damn mountains.

"Is that necessary? I´m sure agent Valentine can handle-"

"You can stay behind. I´m going." Chris growled at the woman, causing her to smirk and hold up her hands.

"Just a suggestion. A cruise liner sounds more fun than snow."

Nothing about this sounded like fun, but Chris ignored her, relaying all the information they found to Clive. Wesker was right when he said it would never end with Umbrella, that someone would always be eager to get their hands on a virus or a B.O.W. and try to control the world. People loved power more than anything and were foolish enough to try this kind of shit.

"Wesker..." When the radio went silent he grunted and grabbed the first aid kit she set on the table. At least he had something to do until the helicopter would come. 

\---

"The fuck was _that_!?" Chris stared at the bubbling water as he laid off the machine gun, but the creature didn´t come after them. Thank fuck for that. It was one thing to fight a slow zombie or a mutant dog or something small that he could see and shoot and make sure it was dead. A water monster like this belonged in fantasy books.

Already they wasted time on the other ship, which pissed him off to no end. There was no contact with Jill or Wesker from the HQ either and he was on edge. The moment he boarded the real Queen Zenobia he was off, letting Jessica follow if she wanted to. He didn´t care. That woman was suspicious and he didn´t trust her at all.

"They were here..." Chris stared at the metal panel that had a distinctive imprint of a fist and the remains of something... weird, in it. He knew that fist. They had to be around. Chris knew they had to and grinned. If Wesker did this, then he was alive and well, which meant that Jill was as well. Instantly invigorated he looked around. Destruction. Bullets. And damage that could only come from someone powerful.

His lover was here and somewhere close and he was definitely going to find him!

"Wesker!! Jill!! Parker!!" His voice echoed, but there was no response, whether human or monstrous. Which meant they had to go deeper into the ship. "Let´s just follow the destruction and we´ll find them.

"If you say so." 

"That´s an order." His eyes narrowed as she mock saluted the man.

"Of course, _Captain Redfield_." He really didn´t like her.


	17. Oblivious traitor

"I swear if he´s hitting on my lover I will kick his stupid ass into oblivion..." Muttering as he inspected another cabin, Chris glared around at the remains of what used to be the crew. Parker´s accent, his partial Italian charm, of course he was worried!

"I truly doubt he had time to flirt with Jill, so you don´t need to worry." Jessica´s voice made him wonder who she was talking about before he realized it. So she didn´t know? He never made it a secret that he was with Wesker and the man didn´t even bother pretending otherwise. Looked like she missed the memo for some reason, but he saw no reason to correct her.

"Yea... I guess you´re right." Then again, Wesker did seem to have a bit of an English accept when he spoke. Especially when he was sleepy in the morning it came out stronger. But right now wasn´t the time to think about that. Looking at the map he frowned. The casino was nearby, might as well check there before moving onto another floor. This whole ship gave off a disturbing vibe and not just because of the dead crew and the stench of rancid meat. He didn´t feel safe. He didn´t have a partner he could trust to watch his back.

Moving to the hallway that would take them to the casino he waited around every corner and each time he felt Jessica press close, his elbow often hitting her breasts. She didn´t seem to get the hint to move away, either. He thought she was rather ridiculous with the bare leg of that weird suit. He missed Jill...

"And I´m telling you I will take the entire ship apart and search the ocean if I have to, but I am not leaving without Christopher!" Wesker´s angry voice made him perk out immediately and Chris grinned.

"Wesker! Which means Jill and Parker have to be with him!"

"Oh, joy..." Her lack of enthusiasm didn´t go unnoticed. But Chris didn´t give a fuck, already moving towards the source of the voice. The casino door was open and maybe he should have been more careful, but instead his eyes fixed on the angry blond man, who looked rather impeccable in that black leather catsuit and he rushed to him. 

"Chris! Hey-wait!" Parker´s voice was loud, but he didn´t care, pushing Wesker into the nearest pillar and crushed their lips together. He heard someone let out a shocked noise and someone else mutter not knowing about this while a very familiar voice tried to get his attention. But he was busy. And the hands pulling him close didn´t want him to pull away, which was perfectly fine with the younger man.

"Chris!! Not the time OR the place! Jesus fucking Christ you two I swear if you start to fuck I´m shooting you both!" Jill´s voice finally resonated enough for him to pull away, releasing he grip he had on Wesker.

"Sorry... I was just worried." Chris smiled at her before walking over to give her a hug, but when he turned to Parker saw the man hold out a hand. 

"I think this will do, right?" Chris smirked and took it, then looked to Wesker who looked as calm as always. Shades in place, the amazing cat suit that clung to every muscle and the zipper that went all the way down. Chris quickly looked up and to his waist to see his revolver there and smiled. At least he wasn´t relying on pure strength this time.

"Yea, that kind of greeting is exclusive to him."

"How lovely. The poster boy for the B.S.A.A. and the Umbrella trait... former employee. How interesting." Jessica´s voice ruined the happy mood and Chris stared at her. Something wasn´t right about that one. Wesker didn´t seem upset though, only having eyes for Chris while Jill was seething. Of course he noticed that word. They all did.

"Watch your tongue, bitch, you´re still on thin ice." Jill gripped her gun and Chris watched her glare at the other woman who only shrugged.

"I should have known he was gay when he didn´t even look at me. And I put so much work into having this suit made, too." She sighed, a most dramatic, theatrical sigh that Chris ever saw. She was trying to seduce him? What?

"Jessica... did you ever look in the mirror? I mean Wesker is a fucking god and you are... no offence, you look like shit that is trying too hard. Put makeup on that and you still have shit." Jill was trying hard to sound sympathetic, but before a retort from the now angry woman could come a noise drew their attention.

"It´s him again!" Jill´s sight was on the dark figure and Chris narrowed his eyes. Looked like a Veltro agent, but he wasn´t attacking. Or anything... and the equipment seemed to sit oddly on his frame. Standing beside Wesker, they watched the man, listening for a while when Chris felt someone squeeze his shoulder. 

"We have a mole..." The whisper was faint, too faint almost, but he heard it clearly. And the moment he turned his head he heard a gunshot, watching the Veltro agent fall. Wesker didn´t move from the spot, but Chris rushed forward to inspect the body. Parker was faster, leaning over him, eyes narrowed for a moment.

"He´s dead... looked like he wanted to speak rather than fight." The man stood up and Chris nodded, looking to Jessica who calmly reloaded her gun and shrugged. 

"I had to get some action on this ship. Very well, shall we continue? There isn´t much time left-"

"I think it´s better if we go back to our original partners, Jessica. Seeing as the three of us worked together for so long and know how the others work, I am sure it is the same way for you and Parker." Jill looked at the man and after a second he nodded.

"That´s actually a great idea. We have a history together, right? Come on, Jess, let´s look around this room and see if there´s anything useful. You three be careful. And Jill, if they start wasting time, hit them with something."

"Will do!"

\---

"-and you think it´s her?" Jill frowned as Wesker explained his reasoning as they moved down to the labs, keeping close to Chris, already having shown his displeasure over finding the man hurt. Not that Chris let him fuss over his leg.

"Shooting the man confirmed my suspicions. Stay on your guard. I have a feeling we are not alone..." Chris listened Wesker explain about how he avoided the cameras or showing his power in front of them, but something told him he couldn´t do that for much longer.

The labs were disgusting, but they finally found the source. Letting Wesker deal with the terminal, Chris tried to reach Parker, but there was only silence. "There is enough data on this to deal with later... and got it. Let´s get Parker and leave this ghost ship."

"And her?" Chris shrugged and looked to Wesker.

"Might as well." And then probably interrogate her. Again he tried to reach him, but there was only silence on the other end and he didn´t like this one bit. "Let´s get out. I had enough of this swaying ship." Wesker lead the way and Chris was equally eager to get out. But the moment they stepped though the heavy door it slid shut behind them, sealing them off from Jill.

"The fuck-Jill! Wesker!"

"The terminal´s not working. Move." Chris did, watching the man grab the door to tear it away, but it barely budged. 

"No time for this! Chris! Wesker! Get to the top deck! I will find a way out of here!" Jill stepped away from the door, looking around, but Chris refused as Wesker continued to rip at the steel. The frustration obvious in the man´s face, Chris pulled him away as a large screen flickered on. An old man´s face... why was it always some ancient-looking asshole?

"-it appears my bright young assistant has made the last move." Chris froze. Last move? The FBC logo behind the man made him frown as he realized who this assistant was. 

"Jill-"

"Go! I promise I will meet up with you!" She yelled at him and Chris hesitated, but Wesker pulled him away, his eyes glowing behind the shades.

"She knows what she´s doing, Chris, come on. This isn´t over yet. We have to find Parker and meet up with Jill." He felt himself nod, but the worry wouldn´t leave. The run to the top deck took far less time than he anticipated, much thanks to Wesker destroying everything in their path.

"I doubt she´s here any longer..." Chris growled and Wesker knew exactly whom he meant. He saw the fury in the man´s face as they moved to the bridge. The self-destruct sequence kept counting down and they knew it, but Chris refused to go anywhere without Jill. 

"Chris! Wesker! Over here!" Wesker reached her first, watching as she dragged an injured Parker and took over quickly. "That bitch shot him! She´s the one-"

"We know. Where´s she now? She couldn´t have escaped already."

"Raymond went after her. He´s been working as a double agent this whole time. That was him on the balcony... Hey, I think I can manage from here." 

"Now is not the time to play a hero, Luciani." Wesker dragged the man over to the edge of the ship before it shook, catching them off balance. His grip loosened for a brief moment, but that was enough for Parker to push away from him.

"No!" Chris reached out at the same time as Jill as something exploded below. And he hoped that the virus was contained enough to survive the explosions. An infected ocean sounded like a real nightmare and he had enough of that. Gripping the man´s hand he refused to let go as Wesker spoke above them.

"-find her and bring her to the HQ... I don´t care! I want that woman and she will pay for what she did!" Who was he talking to? Chris had no idea, but this wasn´t the time to contemplate anything.

"Don´t you fucking let go!" Another explosion shook the ship and he grit his teeth.

"... see you, guys."

"No!!" Chris watched the man let go, the lack of his grip the final straw as another explosion came and he fell. Wesker barely managed to pull him and Jill up, but as he tried to go over into the flames he was pulled back.

"We need to go." The audible anger in Chris´ voice was enough to make Wesker nod. Getting off the ship now seemed so easy. The anger they all felt fuelled the determination as Jill located the other ship on the radar. They were not done yet. 

"She escaped. That bitch got away." She was seething and Chris shared her feelings as Wesker stared at the waters below, the helicopter getting close to location. When the waters beneath bubbled, they were ready. Whatever that creature was, putting it to rest felt good and took away some of the frustration they all felt, but that still left dealing with that old bastard.

Boarding the other ship was easier, even though it sank to the sea floor, but it was even more silent. A true ghost ship and Chris shuddered. Wesker lead them this time, moving faster than they could see, the anger over being unable to open the door when Jill got separated still apparent in every move. And while Chris hated seeing him like this, he knew it was for the best.

Finding the main office took a while, but the rest of the information, along with some extra, was all there. Chris watched the names and locations, scowling at the screen when he saw Jessica´s on the list as well. Fucking bitch better be dead. 

"Did you hear that?" Jill aimed towards the door and they fell silent.

"We have all the data." Wesker spoke softly as they moved to the source of the sound. It was almost like... weeping. And angry cursing. The voice sounded almost famliar. Opening the door to a large unflooded area that looked like a cathedral or something, Chris froze. 

"Norman... he´s still alive..."

\---

Watching Wesker go up against someone like him was fascinating, but it left Chris scared. It was his first time to see Wesker knocked back by anyone or anything, but the man always got up. His shades were lost in the fray, but no one else noticed as he hit Norman again and again, forcing the monster down. But the power of their blows was too much for the ship. It wouldn´t be able to handle much more of this and Chris knew this. He had to focus. To stay calm. Aiming for the mutated man he took a deep breath. 

The shot knocked him back into the already destroyed stairs and for a second he thought he saw a smile. Wesker wiped the blood from his lip, the cut already healed anyway and walked over, picking up a PDA from the floor. He pocketed it quickly and stared with his glowing eyes at the dying man. He really was smiling, Chris noted, moving to stand beside Wesker. The scream that tore from the dying Normal was atrocious, shaking him to the core.

"...done... everything, finished..." There was no fight left in him and Chris lowered his gun, putting it away. "Finally... I can die... I... can die..." This was too sad. But he didn´t look away as he watched Normal take a last breath and exhale, his extended hand knocking into a candelabra and knocking the candles over. 

"We need to move, hurry." Jill lingered on the dead man for a moment, then the tree of them rushed away. Monsters, explosions, fire, traitors, Chris really hated this week.

Making it out of the ship was oddly easy this time. Boarding the helicopter made them all feel strange. They had more than enough evidence to have that old bastard arrested, but there was still a lot left to be done. Clive needed to explain everything. They had to find that bitch. And Parker... 

"I swear if I ever see that bitch again I´ll strangle her..." Jill stared off at the sea, a hardened look in her eyes and Chris could only nod before he leaned into Wesker, feeling a strong arm hug him close.

"I guess we are done here... nothing left, but to head back to the HQ and finish this whole mess. I can´t want to sleep in our bed again. Jill, wanna come over and have dinner?"

"We are not quite done yet..." The smile on Wesker´s face promised nothing good. Jill looked at the man as he produced another pair of shades from his pocket and slid them on. 

"What are you talking about? The mission´s over and-..." She looked at the man´s PDA as he showed her a short clip of a short-haired woman with a crossbow standing over a bound Jessica. Who seemed to be sporting a rather impressive bruise on her face. "...-is that...?"

"Indeed." Chris stared at the clip in shock for a moment before hugging his lover tightly. He could kiss the man!

And he did.


	18. Punishment

They all had mixed feelings as they returned to the HQ. Sure, the mission was a success in some ways, but being betrayed from within and losing Parker... and all those monster. The people. That damn old bastard deserved hell for what he had done. When the footage from the PDA was aired, they felt some satisfaction from having him arrested. The world deserved to know. And it only showed that with Umbrella gone, there were others around who were eager to continue the legacy, to infect the world in order to obtain power. And a select few who fought them now had the backing of many others.

Watching Lansdale get apprehended by his own people made Chris relax. There was still the issue of that traitor they had to deal with and no one was eager to actually do that. For now, she remained locked in a cell, guarded at all time and never left alone with a male guard. Not that she managed to retain any of her 'charm'. Chris realized how petty women could be when he heard Jill and Ada both comment on that later. And how awful the woman´s lack of style was. The two of them getting along was actually scary.

It was not long before a new meeting was called and they gathered in the silent room. The other founders were present, even though their power seemed to be diminishing as they chose to stand behind the scenes. Chris knew why, of course. If anything would go wrong, those whose faces became the symbol for the B.S.A.A. would be held responsible and they could just withdraw.

He wouldn´t let that happen.

Sitting close to Wesker he watched as Clive looked around. They all knew. Of course they did. He looked tired. Older than he was.

"I will be stepping down as the director, effective immediately."

"You can´t do that!" Jill was the first one to speak, glaring at the man. Sure he fucked up, but because of him they managed to apprehend Lansdale and it was his initial suspicions that helped. He could have trusted them more, but it all worked out.

"I can and I did, Jill. I´m too old for this. The action and everything, I´m not suitable for this kind of life, but you kids continue fighting the good fight." Chris wanted to protest, but the man held up his hand to silence them. "In addition, I had all of FBC´s assets transferred to the B.S.A.A. since it is the least I could do."

"That´s impressive."

"I still have a few tricks up my sleeve."

"Which is why you should reconsider a full retirement and continue working as an advisor. Even if you step down, you still have contacts, can still help us fight bioterrorism. Penance for your action is understandable." Wesker´s words made Chris shudder and he knew the man was talking about himself as well. He worked for Umbrella for so long and his feelings towards that company still showed.

"Wesker´s right. There is no one who can take your place, at least this quickly, and we need to remake the whole screening system for the B.S.A.A. and gather more information. It can´t be done overnight and we´ll need all the help we can." Chris leaned back in the chair and the confirmation from the others made him grin.

"And with the transferred assets, we will need someone to handle them since there are things to deal with that require our attention." Chris watched the corners of Wesker´s lips quirk up into a smile and knew that moment that they won. Clive would stay, even as an external advisor. Kinda like Barry, who himself decided against becoming a founder, but eagerly worked with them, helping whenever he could.

It was easier to fight the good fight when you had someone helping you out.

The meeting concluded an hour later and Chris followed Jill and Wesker to her office. It´s only been a few days and things were once again changing. But people trusted them more. The public was turning towards the B.S.A.A. for help and with hope and they had to keep going. There was no return from the path they have chosen.

"We all need a vacation."

"One day perhaps." Jill smiled and sat into her chair, swivelling around for a moment, then the other way as Wesker took off his shades for now. Nobody thought twice about it when the phone on her desk rang and she picked up without a second thought.

"Valentine... What? Parker? Is this a joke?" Chris sat up as Jill stood from the chair, staring at the phone as though it offended her somehow. "Where are you!?... Malta?... yea, I can do that. Just... don´t go vanishing into a fire you ass... yea, they´re here. And we have that bitch as well... Wesker got her. Just sit tight, I´ll have someone get you within the hour!" She slammed the phone down before picking up again, already calling for the nearest B.S.A.A. facility that could retrieve Parker.

"So he survived after all. Remarkable. I am sure that woman will be delighted to see him." Wesker´s smile was unmistakable. The same one he had when years ago he had Brad apprehended. No one ever found out what happened to him and he never spoke about it, but something told him that the man was dead. And he felt no pity.

Two hours later Jill had another call from a helicopter pilot transferring the B.S.A.A. agent Parker Luciani back to the United Kingdom. When they visited him at the hospital, Jill found him reading the Genesis manual which he unsuccessfully tried to hide. After all he went through, the man looked the same, if a bit more rugged. "Does this mean you plan on coming back?"

"Of course, Jill, I still have many things to do. Trying to understand how that thing works is one." He pointed to the manual as she laughed. Chris watched as Wesker shook his head, muttering about idiots and technology for a moment, but he looked happy. The recovery was going well, the B.S.A.A. taking charge of that, and he kept an eye on the man. He should be discharged in a few days and then finally they could see that woman. She has been apparently shouting a lot more lately, demanding justice and a trial and Chris had to stop Jill from putting a bullet through her twice. The third time, he might just not be able to. 

"How did you even survive that? And just so you know, I never forgave you for just... letting go like that." The look from Jill always made even Wesker feel bad and it was no different for Parker.

"Raymond came to my aid. What happened to him... I do not know. But I intend to find out. And either punch him, or thank him, we shall see. Now, please tell me you brought something other than hospital food, because the nurse, as lovely as she is, won´t let me even get a chocolate bar from the vending machine."

\---

Her presence at the B.S.A.A. was a well-kept secret and she knew it. Chris watched on the monitor as Jessica primped for the announced visit. She looked like hell, but he had no pity for her. According to Ada, when she found the woman, the data she had stolen was all gone. The traitor that was responsible for death and destruction and who knew how many would follow after her betrayal.

"You´re staring as though you want her to burst into flames." Wesker´s voice was soft behind him and Chris actually nodded, feeling the hand on his shoulder squeeze lightly. He actually did want that. He felt nothing towards the idea of her dying.

"Come, Jill and Parker arrived a while ago and are waiting for us." Wesker´s lips touched his cheek and Chris stood up, walking beside the man. Parker still had the crutch, but for now chose to limp instead of seeming more like a cripple. Power play, he called it. Jill beside him stood close in case he might topple over, but the moment the heavy door opened and they entered the room, Parker stood proudly.

"Oh, so you survived after all." Jessica´s voice was as annoying as before. Chris glanced at Jill, watching her hand shake, but the bulletproof glass would protect her. The woman´s gaze slid over all of them one by one, lingering on Chris whom she dared to wink at and blow a kiss. His stomach turned.

"Lansdale arrested. The FBC gone. And you arrested. And whoever your employer was, who you betrayed us for, isn´t coming, Jessica How does it feel to be left all alone and to know nobody cares about you?" Parker stared at her as he walked closer to the glass cell.

"Oh please, I only need to talk to one person and can be out." She waved her hand dismissively and Chris narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what she meant. Someone out there was still probably waiting for her, but made no move for almost three weeks. And she still believed she could get out of this?

"No, Jessica, I am afraid that she won´t be coming for you. You see, after your betrayal, and your shameless flirting with Christopher, I did some more research on you and where your loyalties lie. Truly, you could have been a great agent in your own right, but chose the wrong side after all. The homework you sent to your employer was valuable, but allowed me to track exactly who you spoke to." Chris looked between Wesker and Jessica, not understanding a thing. But she did, paling considerably.

"You don´t know shit!"

"But I do, Jessica. And I should let you know that Excella is extremely displeased with your careless work. And your taste as well, apparently." The name meant nothing to Chris and he frowned, but Jessica´s reaction was immediate. She slammed her fists against the glass wall and snarled at Wesker, glaring straight at the man.

"My info was perfect! And she knew it and hired me for that!"

"Who´s Excella?" Jill looked to Parker first, but he just shrugged, watching the woman he had known to be so composed and teasing lose it in front of them.

"You really should be more careful when it comes to sending intel through an open channel, but from what I have seen of your FBC results, you always were careless. But we have this ignorance of yours to thank for Parker being still alive and for you allowing us to trace the intel to Excella. I should thank you for that. Perhaps the value would be enough to save your life now, but alas, it is not." He had a feeling this would happen and looked to Jill. Neither of them tried to stop Wesker as he slowly approached the glass wall, prompting the woman to step into the middle, away from him.

"You were the one who allowed Terragrigia to happen, playing a hero to save others whilst the entire city was destroyed. How many have died? How many more will die because of your continued betrayal? If I had only known this a month ago I would have made sure you rot in a cell until you look as ugly outside as you are inside. But we don´t have time to waste on the likes of you, Jessica." Chris watched as Wesker flexed his fingers. 

He looked around, aware that the guards were now gone, but still didn´t move. Seeing Wesker like this was fascinating and scary. The power he obtained through the virus was grand, sure, but at the same time it felt like he was losing himself to it. Watching him now, he was scared of the man he could see. As Wesker reached up and took the shades off, Chris watched Jessica cry out and stumble backward.

"You nearly killed off Jill and my Chris. Almost released a virus into the ocean. Are responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. And you still think someone will swoop in and rescue you?"

"You can´t kill me." She sounded desperate and Chris glanced to the cameras around the room. And the moment he saw the lack of a light knew that no one was watching. It was... just the four of them here. And Jessica. "Someone will come and they will-"

"That is where you are wrong again, Jessica. No one will come."

"Fuck off! This is bulletproof glass! No gun you have can get through and you´re shit out of-" her eyes went wide as Wesker simply reached out and punched the glass, shattering the wall with ease. She didn´t even get to gawk as he moved faster than any eye could see and gripped her by the neck, lifting her into the air.

"Sometimes I think I am a monster... and I might be, but even as I am now I save lives while filth like you take them. Perhaps it´s time I take one as well." Chris felt like he should stop him, that he should say something, but he felt rooted to the spot. And Jill seemed to feel the same, her expression hardened as she stared at Wesker. Parker was the only one who didn´t seem to understand, but he didn´t try to intervene. He had been there. And finding out she was the one behind Terragrigia brought back old pain.

Her gurgled cries and gasps were incoherent as Wesker continued to squeeze. Staring at her with his glowing eyes he lifted her even higher. But instead of crushing her neck he tossed her to the shattered glass, slowly walking over as she coughed, bleeding hands trying to remove the shards. But he gripped her hair this time and forced her head up.

"Look. Look at all that you have caused." The screens behind Chris lit up. Faces began to flicker, happy families smiling and not one was there twice. So many people... and then the images changed into the destruction that became known as the Terragrigia Panic. Seeing the B.O.W. go after them and tear them to shreds was too much.

"You were behind this... all those people... my friends, they were.... you´re disgusting. You´re worse than those monsters." Parker´s voice was dark as he stared at the screen and Jill beside him nodded, moving to support the man as he swayed, but he gently pushed her away. "You nearly killed off Raymond twice... no, thrice now. And for what?"

"H-he´s with Tricell! Just like me, he´s with them! A traitor! He´s-"

"He´s a double agent. And a far more skilful one than you are or had any hopes of being. Unfortunately, Mr. Vester is now busy doing another little job for me. As for you, watch. Look at all the people you killed." Wesker forced her to stare at the screen as more imaged continued, showing the destruction, the bodies. "I want this to be the last thing you ever see, Jessica. If I felt merciful, I would have let you see the man you coveted all this time, but alas, Christopher is mine. And you have no right to ever look at him again or even speak his name."

He watched her mouth open, but no sound came out as Wesker slammed her head down into the shards and let go, revealing the piece of glass that pierced the back of her skull. She flailed for a moment and then became still, the shards slowly soaking with blood. Wesker stood there above her, staring at the corpse and knelt down just enough to check her pulse. 

"We are done here. I will have someone clear up the mess." He put the shades back on when he saw Parker stare at his eyes. "Let´s go. There´s nothing more to do here."

They left in silence and Chris heard someone go into the room, aware that the next time he would be inside the body would be gone and nothing would remain to show what transpired. He reached out to hold Wesker´s hand as they went to Jill´s office. It wasn´t over yet and they knew it. Parker went home after a while, nodding to Wesker and a brief moment of understanding passed between them for a moment.

When it was just the three of them again, Chris rubbed his face with his hands. It wasn´t over. Far from it. And as he looked at his lover he saw Wesker look at him with an odd look. Those cat-like, glowing eyes... Standing up he walked to the man and gently kissed him, trying to reassure him that he didn´t see him as a monster. He never would. They shared a soft smile and he sat down again as Wesker continued to stand.

"Allow me to explain. About Tricell and Excella Gionne."


	19. Tempus Fugit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: You already know what this is for, right? Hint: It´s sex.

They had nothing on her or Tricell. For now. Excella Gionne was an important figure when it came to bioterrorism. Her family and background made the young woman a danger in the future, but for the time being they had something else to worry about. Tricell and Excella were something to worry about in the future and for now focused on expanding the B.S.A.A. and reinforcing their ranks. With the FBC´s assets behind them and more pharmaceutical companies eager to not only distance themselves from the likes of Umbrella, but also have their names figure among those who helped, they had their hands full

But Chris was starting to worry. The past months he watched his lover spend longer and longer at the headquarters, working from his private office and even vanish for days at a time and return exhausted. And each time he started to think it was over, Wesker vanished again. When days turned into weeks he was done. Already he spent a lot of time working out the frustration he felt at the gym. Jill once made a passing comment about how none of the uniform sizes would fit him, but he ignored her, only punching the bag harder.

It finally happened. Wesker lost interest in him. It only took... what? Eight years? A bit less? After all they have been through he was a bit surprised, but the older man never said a word, merely avoided him. So rarely he got to even see him at work and even less at home. After a while he started to consider getting his own place. Why bother living with someone when you never saw them? But he was alone with his thoughts, his lover hunting down rumours.

"Wesker?" Entering the bedroom only to find the empty he sighed. When was the last time he had seen the man? It felt like... weeks. But it was probably just days. Sighing, the man laid on the bed as he was, not even bothering to undress. He wanted to cry. Wesker still hadn´t broken up with him, probably to spare his feelings, but this was far worse.

A noise from the living room made him sit up and quickly he wiped at his face, grabbing his gun. "Wesker?" There was no one there before, so there was little chance he came in now. Cautious, Chris walked to the door, slowly pushing it open to stare into the large living area, but it was just dark and empty. Nothing was around. He lowered the gun just as something on the couch moved and instantly he was there, gun pointed at the man lying there.

Man?

"Wesker?"

"Hm? Oh... Chris... I apologize for starling you. It´s been a long week." Lowering the gun again he stared at the man. Wesker looked... older. Tired. His hair was a mess, no longer in that slicked back style that he was now quite infamous for and his shades were resting on the table. His clothes were dirty as well. After the incident aboard Queen Zenobia he actually extended his wardrobe. Not exactly with colours, but Chris loved the sight of his ass in that tight body suit. Now it was all torn and though he was not hurt, Chris knew at some point he was.

"What happened to you?" He watched Wesker slowly sit up, smoothing his hair back before giving up after a moment, his glowing eyes fixing on Chris. And for a moment he just stared at the man before closing his eyes.

When he opened them, Chris was staring into blue.

"I found him. Oswell E. Spencer." That might have been the last thing he expected to hear. "His location... finally I found the bastard. Finally I can end it."

"End it?" Chris frowned and went to turn a lamp on to give the room more light without assaulting Wesker´s eyes. The man remained on the couch and now that he could see more of him he felt shocked. The type of wounds those cuts and slashes would have given him would kill a man over and over again, yet Wesker sat there, just tired and still looked at him with those blue eyes. "So these pasts weeks... you were tracking him down?"

"Of course. All the intel I received, no matter how vague or unreliable, I had to go. Though I discovered a few more things along the way, many of which useful to the B.S.A.A., I couldn´t stop until I would find that man." Wesker stood up, stretching as he slowly walked over to Chris and he could just stare, not resisting at all when strong arms wrapped around him.

Only to just as quickly pull away.

"Chris...?" The hands touched his shoulders, then his biceps, moving down his arms, then to his waist, his chest, touching him through the shirt he wore before shamelessly dipping below to the waist to grope his ass, which was when he gently pushed them away. "You´ve been working out."

He saw Wesker frown. So the man didn´t like it, huh? Well, too bad. Chris needed something to take his frustration and energy out on and without his lover around to help with that he was content to do this. Being stronger felt good. "What´s the date today, Christopher?"

"August 21st... why?" he saw Wesker frown and the eyes shifted back into the glowing red and gold. Staring at him for a moment he watched as he paced back and forth. 

"I thought... forgot how quickly time passes... weeks..."

"Wesker?"

"Should have made notes... neglect..."

"Wesker!" Chris grabbed his arm before he could wear a hole into the carpet and forced the man to look at him. "What´s the last date you remember?"

"...end of June..." The older man sighed, once more running his fingers through his hair. "When you don´t need to sleep or eat as often as normal people, time passes by differently. No wonder you changed so much and I didn´t notice. I wonder how much else changed." So he didn´t know? Chris stared at him for a moment before touching one of the holes on the body suit. 

"What did this?"

"A new experiment I encountered. Unfortunately, I wasn´t able to retrieve a sample-" Wesker chuckled and Chris looked up at him before the arms wrapped around him once more, hugging him tightly, forcing his body to press against the other man´s.  
"I´m sorry, Chris. For taking so long. For not noticing anything sooner."

The apology was enough to sweep the fears he had away within seconds and he hated how much and how easily Wesker affected him. His hands gripped at the ruined suit and he tried to force the tears that pushed into his eyes back where they came from before they could be seen. He was a grown man, past thirty and strong enough to shatter glasses if he wasn´t careful and gripped them too tightly (he learned that the hard and painful way), a man who dealt with monsters and fought bioterrorism on a daily basis and needed a shave after not bothering for a week. He wasn´t going to cry damn it!

He couldn´t stop the tears.

Gripping Wesker´s suit harder he buried his face in the man´s neck. "Chris? Are you crying?" The confusion hurt and he shook his head quickly, aware that lying to Wesker about something like this was futile. So after a moment he just pulled away, wiping the hot tears with more force than necessary.

"I thought... I thought you were just tired of me and... I was gonna move away and end it before you could." Even now it made sense to him to think that. Wesker was off doing who knew what and he didn´t get to see him much, barely spoke to him. Hell, the last time they even kissed was back in July!

"Oh, Chris, my Star, I would never tire of you." The arms enveloped him once more, hugging him close, holding him tightly and Chris let him. He felt pathetic, but he needed this closeness more than anything. Holding onto Wesker he didn´t care how long they stood there until he calmed down enough to be in control of his own emotions once more.

"Go and shower... and throw that suit away, it´s beyond repair. I´m going to cook something." Even if Wesker didn´t need to eat as often as normal humans did, knowing the man he went without food, focused on his goal and ignored the most basic human needs. "One more thing..." Reaching out he pulled the man into a hard kiss, biting his bottom lip hard enough to earn himself a soft grunt, but before the hands could pull him close again he pushed away.

"Go. I need a moment to myself anyway. And then... later, we can talk. About everything."

"I love you, Chris." If he had any lingering doubts, they were all gone that very second and even now he felt his cheeks grow warm. The man smiled at him and he hastily turned away, going to the kitchen and not long after he decided what to make he heard the sound of shower running.

Wesker found Spencer. The man behind Umbrella, behind so much death and suffering, including Wesker´s own. No wonder he worked so hard to find him. But Chris was still worried about what this meant. But more than that he felt relieved. He had been worried for nothing. Smiling he carefully placed the layers of the lasagne, wiping his hands as he listened to the shower turning off. Not long after familiar arms wrapped around his waist and lips found the warm skin of his neck.

"Smells delicious."

"It´s not even baking yet."

"I´m not talking about the food, Chris." More kisses were placed on his neck and Wesker nuzzled into him. "I´m sorry I didn´t notice. I was so focused... I didn´t even see you work so hard and change. Though... I really like what I can feel right now." The hands moved over hips, then onto his thighs, squeezing. "Well... damn..." 

Chris rarely heard the man curse. More often than not, Wesker remained cool and composed so this kind of reaction actually made him feel happy. But he still had to pull away from the man to put the last finished touches to their dinner before putting it into the oven. Over the years he got more than a few cookbooks, but by now he rarely needed a recipe. He also found out that Wesker had a strange dislike towards parsley, which he always found cute.

"There, now we can talk if you want. And you should put some clothes on." As he turned around and saw that Wesker was only wearing the towel he let his gaze sweep over his form. No injuries, no scars at all. The man was still as perfect as when he had seen him naked the first time. It seemed like so long ago. Watching his Captain cover him, then taking care of the man until he recovered and then the kiss on the couch...

"What are you thinking about? You have this lovely smile..." Wesker´s hand touched his cheek as he tugged the apron off, undoing it in the back and once more his hand shamelessly slid over Chris´ ass, squeezing. "Instead of me putting on clothes, how about we take yours off so I can properly appreciate your form?" Wesker looked to the oven. "How much time do we have?"

"About... fifty minutes... it needs to cool for a while after that." 

"Fifty minutes, hm?" More than enough time. Pulling Chris into a kiss he tossed the apron over a chair and the younger man did not resist. Instead he pressed close to the naked body, relieved to feel the warmth, the powerful heartbeat. How could he have ever doubted the man?

He didn´t protest, quite unable to, when the fingers began to tug on his shirt and the warm lips pulled away as Wesker pulled it off. The heated stare made Chris shiver. Wesker shamelessly stared at him, slowly looking him over, lingering on his chest, his abdomen, fingers hooking in the top of his pants.

"You look stunning." Something about the way Wesker whispered made him flush and his pants felt much tighter.

"Bedroom."

"Not yet." As he gave the man a questioning look he received a soft chuckle in return. He missed the sound over the past weeks so much. But that didn´t change that he felt confused as Wesker began to undo his pants, the belt easily giving way as he slowly pulled down the zipper, lingering on the button before flicking it open.

"Wesker?" Glowing eyes looked at him and the next thing he knew Wesker slid down to his knees and his breath caught. He wasn´t seriously going to do this here, right? But the hands were already pulling down his underwear (he was happy to find a playful tiger pattern), releasing his erection from the confines. 

There was something amazing about seeing a man as powerful as Wesker down on his knees, smiling up at him as his hair escaped and fell into his face, those glowing eyes shamelessly staring. When the closed, Chris barely managed to take a deep breath, only to find a sea of blue gazing back at him and his member twitched.

"You always did like my eyes, didn´t you? But yours always show so much emotion. Even seem to change to reflect how you feel." Lips pressed a kiss to the damp head and he flushed, gripping the counter behind him. "Without you, I would be truly lost in an endless nightmare." Wesker smiled at him, but before Chris could even attempt to think of what to say the lips closed over his length and the man sucked, cheeks hollowing and he nearly came on the spot.

But Wesker only started, his tongue tracing the underside as he began to slowly move his head, his eyes closing for just a moment as he took in more of Chris each time, soon letting the head hit the back of his throat. But when he thought that was it, the man swallowed, making the brunet´s knees buckle and thank fuck for the marble countertop because it easily survived the death grip he had on it. Eyes clenched shut he did not dare to open them for a while, trying to focus on not coming on the spot. It has been a while and his frustration was all taken out on the punching bag at the gym. But it could never take care of this frustration.

The hot mouth continued to move, sucking him, changing the pattern and when he opened his eyes and found Wesker watching him with those magnificent blues he actually whimpered, hand automatically reaching out to grasp onto the blond strands. Gently, almost afraid to touch the man´s hair he watched, transfixed as his member kept disappearing into the hot mouth, the pleasure mounting too quickly. He could only whimper a warning, unable to find the right words, or just about any. But Wesker only smirked, pulling back just enough to prevent Chris from choking him as the man´s hips moved forward and he came.

This was enough to fuel his dreams for two months for sure. Chris was shaking, watching Wesker swallow, then give him one last lick and in one fluid motion the man stood up, kissing his neck, nuzzling him softly. "Bedroom. Now."

Chris gave a dumb nod, still holding onto the counter as Wesker picked up the fallen towel and didn´t even bother covering his own arousal. The sight of the man like that... he was too perfect for words. For this world. 

It took several long seconds before Chris managed to compose himself enough to check the time on the food and shakily walk to the bedroom, taking off the rest of his clothes on the way. He caught Wesker as he came out of the bedroom, water still on his mouth. Always considerate. But Chris didn´t care as he pulled the man into another heated kiss, pushing him onto the bed.

"You did get stronger." Wesker sounded impressed and Chris smirked. He worked hard to get this body and planned to continue, not yet done. He would be the one to protect his lover. All fear and despair he felt the past weeks were gone from his mind and he could only think of his former Captain as he moved to straddle him, staring down at the man. "Such a good look on you, Christopher."

"On top of you?"

"In my arms." Wesker sat up with such ease, as though he hadn´t spent the entire week away, risking his life. His hands quickly moved over the other man´s chest, teasing over his nipples as their lips connected over and over again. No, Chris would never be able to have enough of Albert Wesker. The moment he realized how much he was in love with the man he knew he was in for the long run. Moaning he pressed closer, letting the other´s member fit snugly between his cheeks and even rocked his hips to tease him, drawing a groan from the man.

"You like that?" Chris grinned, doing it again and earned himself another groan, then a pinch to each nipple that made him yelp.

"Teasing me like that... you have gotten quite bold it seems..." Wesker didn´t sound upset at all though, instead only smiled more, kissing him again as he fumbled for the drawer of the nightstand to get the bottle of lube. Seeing that they were running out he chuckled, but before he could open it the bottle was snatched from his hand and he pulled away from the kiss to give his lover a questioning look.

"You have no idea..." Chris was smiling as he stole the bottle and opened it, pushing Wesker back down on the bed with a kiss and the sheer weight of his improved body. Oh yes, this was the perfect use for it. Well, this and combat, of course. Keeping Wesker´s lips busy and the man distracted he used one hand to slide between his cheeks, fingers easily preparing him. He had done this before, but never like this. It felt... shameless. And intense.

Two fingers... three took a bit more effort since it has been a while and he knew that the real thing might actually hurt a bit and leave him sore. And that only made him want it more as he moaned into the kiss, still keeping Wesker´s back to the bed as he stretched himself. Only when he was sure he was done he pulled away, sitting up, his free hand still on the man´s chest.

"You´re tired, right? So just... let me do this." He took pleasure in seeing the man´s eyes widen like that as he lifted himself just enough, wiping the lube remains from his hand onto the man´s erection and then slowly, carefully, lowered himself down. And fuck, it really has been a while and he could feel the man stretch him, pushing deep inside, maybe even more so than he recalled. The intensity was enough to make him moan, but he didn´t stop until he was once again straddling him.

"Chris..." Wesker´s eyes were wide, once more a burning sea of red and gold, staring at him in awe and Chris felt proud that he left the man speechless. But he was not done. Far from it. Taking just a moment longer to adjust to the man´s girth he slowly began to move, rocking his hips as before, taking his time teasing the man. And he knew that Wesker craved release, but he wanted to punish him a bit. In a way... he was punishing himself. For doubting his lover.

To give him credit, Wesker let him stay in control, the man´s hands now on his hips, squeezing each time Chris moved. And then squeezed tighter as he began to slowly rise and fall, sliding down onto the man´s erection over and over again. With this angle, Wesker´s length hit that spot inside him each time, making him moan and gasp. The muscles in his legs flexed, tensing as he rose, but kept him properly upright whenever he slid down. 

Neither man wanted to rush things, but Chris knew that neither could last right now. They wanted this too much, had too much pent up desire and need and soon he gave Wesker a small nod. That was all the man needed to sit up and for his hands to grip his ass, squeezing firmly before he helped Chris move, hips arching up to meet him each time he slid down.

Their lips met in a frantic, heated kiss that left Chris breathless and needing more, hands gripping the man´s shoulders, leaving small bruises that automatically faded, but when he raked his nails down his shoulders and then felt the mark a moment later, they were still there. It made him grin briefly, the expression quickly covered by another heated kiss and he felt the intensity of the man´s thrusts increase and the pleasure quickly became too much to handle.

Chris wasn´t sure who came first, unable to tell, but that didn´t matter. He clung to the man and their moans mingled as liquid heat spilled between them and deep inside the younger man. He couldn´t stop shaking. Chris wanted the moment to last forever, or for as long as it possibly could and it wasn´t until he felt Wesker slip out of him that he pulled away from the kiss.

Wesker looked thoroughly fucked, his expression dazed. Chris would be lying if he would say he didn´t feel proud and smiled at the man, softly kissing him this time. "We need a shower..."

"Mm-hm." The soft sound made him grin and he stole one more kiss, then reluctantly stood up, aware of the gaze on him, tracing down his back, to his ass, his inner thighs. Glancing to the clock he made sure there was still time left and looked over his shoulder at Wesker who was shamelessly lying on his side, watching him with the smile he ever only showed to Chris. 

"I´ll need help in the shower."

Wesker was more than happy to oblige.


	20. Dead men tell no tales

"I told him to wait for us... why the hell did he go on his own?" Chris was on the edge already and kept checking his gun over and over again as the helicopter touched ground. When he found Wesker gone from his office earlier he thought the man was just off somewhere for a moment, but then the note on his desk revealed that the man became impatient.

_I could not wait. I will deal with Spencer myself. Wait for me._

"No fucking way I´m waiting you stubborn asshole..." It wasn´t because he didn´t trust the man to handle this, that he wasn´t aware nothing could stop the man after all he had seen Wesker do. It was because he was worried about the confrontation and what it might do to his lover.

"Damn, I never hear you this pissed off about him. Not even when he was leaving for weeks. Chris, come on, it will be fine. I´m sure he just cleared out this giant... what is it? Castle? Haunted house? What is it with Umbrella and creepy places?" The giant estate that stretched before them made him feel strange. The horrors inside were probably waiting for them or dead because they encountered Wesker. And she wasn´t entirely sure what was worse.

"That´s because I promise that I will come with him and he agreed that would be for the best! And then he just leaves!" Chris moved quickly, forcing Jill to actually hurry to catch up with him. He was focused, but still angry and determined to give Wesker a piece of his mind once he would find the man. At least he had Jill on his side. They always did make the perfect team.

The looming estate promised nothing good and Chris shuddered as they moved in. No guards, no cameras, nothing. His last memory of such a place involved betrayal, zombie dogs and fear. And Wesker injecting himself with a virus to save him.

"Chris to HQ, come in. We´re at the target´s location." At least this time they had better technology and communication links weren´t down. Strange to consider that over eight years have passed since they began the fight against bioterrorism and only now were finally closing in on the man who started it all.

"Copy that, Chris. Move in and procure the target." Sounded easy enough. According to Wesker, Spencer was an old decrepit man by now so there should be no trouble from him. The worst they could expect were guards or more traps. And they were ready.

"Roger that."

"What can you tell us about the area?" Chris looked to Jill as she concentrated on unlocking the front door. That told him enough to figure out that Wesker didn´t go this way. Multiple entrances probably. Or he used a window or a balcony. Lately he seemed to enjoy doing that.

"The satellite scan isn´t showing anything out of the ordinary, but regardless, you should expect the unexpected." Well, that sounded promising. The unexpected usually involved something dangerous.

"Understood." As Jill stood up and took out her gun, Chris waited for her signal. He had to find Wesker. That was his priority. As much as the HQ and everyone else didn´t like it, Spencer was secondary. Wesker... he was worried about his lover.

"We´re in."

"Let´s move."

\---

"What is it with creepy old men and mansions? This is the kind of place a bad movie villain would live in. And the layout is just... creepily familiar to the Mansion from almost ten years ago." Chris pulled the lever, not even trying to understand why anyone would build a place like this.

"Kind of takes you back, doesn´t it."

"I wish it didn´t..." Stepping over the dead body he stopped trying to figure out whether it was Wesker´s handiwork or if someone... or something else dealt with them. Moving through the estate was taking longer than he anticipated though, especially after they lost their guns and needed to retrieve them. The water smelled foul and he was just glad no zombies attacked from beneath the murky surface. Aside from the asshole chasing them.

But Chris was too pissed to waste time. After it got in the way yet again he turned to face the monster and just punched him, staggering the creature enough to force him back. Then he punched him again, gritting his teeth. And again and again until the creature wailed one last time and became still.

"Wow... feeling better?" Jill touched his shoulder, handing him back his gun and Chris made sure it was working properly before holstering it.

"Yea..." Much. One last piece of shit to get them and he grunted as he heard the creature stagger through the water, the heavy cleaver slowing it down at least. No need to waste bullets on this one. Spencer had his own torture cabinet of shit going on here.

"Now!" Jill pulled the lever as Chris rolled out of the way and the spiked ceiling fell, impaling the monster.

"Ugh, reminds me of the old mansion... I can´t believe Barry joked about me becoming a sandwich..." She was smiling though at the memory. Now she knew better than to wait to be rescued and it showed.

When they finally returned to the main halls of the estate, more bodies littered the floor as they made their way to the library. The voices inside made them both freeze. A ragger voice of an old man could only mean one thing.

"...a new superior breed of humans given birth by the Progenitor Virus. The Wesker children were entrusted with endless potential." Chris frowned. Children? He knew that Wesker mentioned there being more, but... how many more? Did this mean he had siblings?

"Of them, only one survived." Chris knew whom the old man meant. Wesker. _"You."_

"Are you saying I was manufactured?" Finally! Just hearing Wesker´s voice made Chris relax, but at the same time he had an awful feeling. Manufactured? No way. His lover was not some kind of machine or robot or monster.

"I was to become a god..." Chris looked to Jill who shook her head before briefly wiggling her finger by her temple. The old man was delusional and probably insane. And those were often the most dangerous ones.

"...creating a new world with an advanced race of human beings." Definitely batshit insane. "However, all was lost with Raccoon City." 

Eight years passed since then, since the place they called home has been sanitized by someone´s order. And the city became a symbol of the start of bioterrorism. Chris still fondly recalled working with S.T.A.R.S., his shooting competitions with Wesker and how he took care of the man. That first kiss when the man decided that dropping hints of teasing him was not enough.

"Despite that setback, your creation still holds great significance." He heard the old man cough, but was far more worried about the word 'creation'. Just how much did Spencer make Wesker suffer? And all the others who didn´t survive?

"Ironic, isn´t it?" There was a brief pause and he could feel Jill staring, but held up his hand. Not yet... not just yet. "For one who has the right to be a god! To face his own mortality..."

"The right to be a god..." Chris prided himself in being able to tell Wesker´s mood just by his voice, but right now, there was something unreadable. Something that scared him. He nodded to Jill and changed stance, kicking the library door open, only to see Wesker punch the old man.

No, that wasn´t a punch. People could recover from that. His entire hand went through the old man´s chest. "That right is now mine." The hand withdrew and Spencer toppled over, eyes glazed as he fell down the few steps and onto the marbled ground. "The right to be a god? You? Arrogant even until the end." 

Chris slowly lowered the gun, eyes wide as he stared at the older man, the blood dripping down his gloved fingers, easily sliding off the material. He couldn´t believe this. They could have arrested Spencer, gotten so many answers from the man, so much intel and things that would have helped, but the man was now dead on the ground and Wesker... his lover sounded nothing like himself.

"Only one truly capable of being a god deserves that right..." What kind of right? To become a god? Chris stared in shock, trying to comprehend, to somehow understand what just happened here, but instead felt the burning gaze of his lover on him.

_"Wesker!"_

"It had to be done. For all he did to the world. To the people. To me. Spencer had to pay." The man sounded so sad as he walked down the few steps and towards him. And Chris felt scared. For the first time in his life he felt scared of Wesker

"You could have arrested him... made him watch the downfall of everything he ever worked towards and-"

"I couldn´t. And I don´t expect you to understand why." He wouldn´t understand even if Wesker would explain. When the other reached out to touch him he moved away, shaking his head. This wasn´t what he wanted to deal with right now. Walking over to Spencer instead he knelt down and checked his pulse. He was definitely dead. 

"All those men outside-"

"Infected, trying to get in the way. There were more below the estate, but I didn´t want to waste any time. Which is why I didn´t wait for either of you since I knew you would try to stop me."

"Of course we would! And what was all that talk about being a god!? Are you-"

"No. I have no interest. I believe in no such nonsense, but others do and will follow what Spencer began, one way or another. The thirst for power does not end until the world is thrown into chaos." Wesker kept watching Chris move as the younger man stood up. There was nothing more to do here. Nothing that even could be done. "Spencer expected me to come and waited. He knew... I would kill him."

That explained the lack of guards in this room at least.

"Created... manufactured for one purpose... and the only one to survive." Seeing Wesker stare at the old man´s body he felt sad. Those words cut deeply and Wesker would never show how much it affected him, but Chris knew. After all, he knew the blond better than anyone else. "All this time... everything I have done was controlled and overseen by him. All the time... even the work for the B.S.A.A., gathering samples to find vaccines... all the works, for nothing."

"Don´t say that, Wesker! You managed to save a lot of lives with the vaccines you worked on. We all know how much time you spent at the labs to find one, or at least a way to neutralize the virus in the victims." Jill glared at him, walking to the window as the storm finally began. The lighting made the estate even creepier, the lack of lights disturbing. So much for a calm autumn.

"You don´t understand Jill. Probably hundreds of children were taken from their homes, forced to become guinea pigs. And we all shared the same name. Wesker. I don´t... even think I ever had another name at all. My parents might as well have never existed. There is nothing beyond what was forced upon me. And out of all those children, only I survived and for what? Just to kill off the man who created me and what is left?" Wesker slammed his fist into a table and it broke beneath the impact. "At this point I cannot even die. There is nothing-"

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" Chris glared at him, storming up to the man and pushed him into the nearest pillar, pinning him there. His new strength did some in handy like this and he made sure Wesker´s eyes were on him. "I´m still here! And so it Jill and many others! My sister and Parker and Barry, we are all around and working towards something better. Saving the world and we need you! I need you! Or was all that talk about love a lie?"

"Never."

Watching the eyes flicker for a moment he didn´t let go, only gripped the man´s shoulders tighter. It couldn´t have been a lie. Not after all they have been through. That would be... it would be too much. "I love you, Wesker. And I don´t care if it´s your name or not. You were always Captain Wesker to me and now you are Albert Wesker, my lover. And I´m not letting some fucking fossil get in your head with some delusions and-"

"Chris! Wesker!" Jill´s panicked voice interrupted him and he glanced over his shoulder, just in time to see the old man´s corpse twitch, the robe he wore tearing as the body began to mutate. 

"This isn´t over yet." Whispering to Wesker he pulled away from the man and drew his gun, but as he looked to him saw only shock. He hasn´t moved from the pillar yet, merely stared at Spencer.

"That old fool... actually tried to infect himself. To become like me." Watching the man´s body mutate and twist he actually felt pity for him, but there was no time to linger on that thought. Instead he had to move out of the way as a long arm shot out and tried to impale him. Out for revenge, even after death.

"They all have a weak point. We just have to find it and then we´re going to get rid of this and go home." Chris kept muttering to himself as he dodged out of the way, the wheelchair squeaking as it was pushed against a wall. Spencer was dead, but the virus inside him was obviously still alive. Chris was having none of this though.

His first shot was just... absorbed or something, the pink, gooey flesh making him feel sick. A waste of bullets until something showed up, but Spencer seemed to be still taking shape of something bigger. And as soon as Wesker saw what it was he wanted to laugh. The old man had always been fond of those awful dogs. Keeping them, taunting them, his portrait hanging even in the fucking kennels for them to worship. But the monster he saw right now had little to do with those dogs.

It was large, easily thrice the size of Wesker, the maul a mutated hole full of teeth and a long, serpentine tongue that seemed to double as an appendage. The old man´s frail body was lost as the monster stood up, bipedal and mobile, lunging at Wesker with the large clawed hands. It was fast. Wesker felt his coat get caught in the claw and the material rip.

"Wesker!" Chris shot again, trying to draw attention away from the man, but instead had to dodge out of the way again as a long tail smashed into the glass display behind him, raining glass and fine china onto his head.

"Get out! I can take care of this on my own! Finish it once and for all!" He didn´t like the way he spoke. As though he wanted to finish it at any cost, even if it was his own life. There was no way Chris was going anywhere and one look from Jill made him grin. She shared his feelings on this, reaching for her revolver again. If this was like a dog... "Try above the tail!"

She did, but missed as the monster moved yet again, snarling at them, the tail smashing into her a moment later and slamming her into a bookcase. "Jill!" Chris had to duck, but it was obvious that Spencer was after Wesker. The head kept snarling, trying to get to the man and the two seemed almost matched when it came to strength and even speed. But Wesker was smarter, more cunning. And he had something to lose still.

Another bright flash of lighting lit the room as Chris helped Jill get up, reloading his gun quickly and took aim at the tail, aiming for the spot he knew that dogs liked scratched. Sensitive, right? So if he guessed correctly...

Jackpot! The monster howled, snarling as gooey blood sprayed onto the marble and focused his attention on Chris for a moment, clawed hands reaching to grab him before a sharp tug pulled him back. "Don´t even think about it you disgusting piece of shit!" Seeing Wesker tear the tail away was actually impressive, but he didn´t have time to stand and appreciate the sight as something came spewing from the depth of the mutated maul.

"Watch out! It´s some kind of acid! Fucking hell, the stench!" Jill grimaced, moving away from the smoking puddle of what used to be part of the wheelchair. Chris followed her example, moving away while Wesker decided to use the thick tail to bludgeon the monster until he deemed it useless.

He attacked the monster again, hitting the maul over and over again, but even his strength seemed like nothing compared to the creature´s endurance and Chris watched in shock as Wesker was actually thrown aside and into a pillow before sharp fangs grabbed onto his arm, right by the shoulder, trying to tear the limb off.

"Wesker!!" Panicking would be too soft a word as Chris lunged forward, pulling out another revolver. He just had enough ammo for a few shots. But he didn´t waste one of the hand cannon´s powerful bullets as he shot straight at the creature´s head, forcing it to let go, but the sight of his bleeding lover terrified him.

With the chamber empty he quickly holstered it and grabbed his other gun, ready to do everything to take it down. It was when the Spencer monster lunged at him that he saw a glowing spot right where Wesker punched through his chest, hidden by sinew, the glowing spot barely visible with the constant lighting. But it was there. All he had to do was get to it and destroy the monster.

Not that it would be easy. Focusing on luring him away from Wesker, Chris didn´t think twice about what he was doing, ignoring the cries from the man to stop and get out. Jill was already moving, acting as a distraction just long enough for Chris to reload two more shots into the hand cannon before stumbling back to dodge another swipe of those claws.

"Don´t you fucking touch him!" Wesker´s arm was healing albeit slowly and Chris noticed this immediately as the man grabbed the creature´s arm, snapping the limb as he tried to swipe at Chris. That one swipe could have taken his head off with ease... fuck! They were running out of options and quickly. And even Wesker seemed tired. He hadn´t slept or eaten much and going through the estate in search of Spencer... everything took its toll on the man.

The broken limb was not stopping the monster and Chris knew they had to do something. The gun was useless with the muscle protecting the spot that needed to be destroyed. So instead he reached for the knife, aware how close he had to get. He might die. But he couldn´t let Spencer win or hurt Wesker and Jill.

He moved forward, using the moment when the monster was distracted by Wesker once more to stab at the chest. The thick, gooey skin made it difficult to even get anywhere and the knife wanted to slide over the flesh instead of stabbing, but he kept pushing it in until the flesh gave and then dragged the serrated edge down, forcing the flesh to open just a bit more before something threw him into another pillar and he fell to the floor.

"Chris!" Jill was frantic to get to him and an angry growl betrayed how Wesker felt, forcing Spencer to focus on him once more.

"Ch-chest... the spot..." Wheezing out he tried to stand up, but Jill nodded first, grabbing her own knife. "No-"

"Shut up! I can do this!" Jill smiled at him before moving forward, using an opening that Wesker provided and stabbed her knife into the already cut opening, pushing hard to open the spot even more, cutting through the thick skin. Barely she managed to finally expose the glowing spot when a large hand slammed her into the glass window, her hand shattering it, the knife falling into the darkness below.

It was like watching a bad movie in slow motion. One moment the creature was snarling at Wesker, the next it moved to Jill, reaching out to grab the dazed woman.

"NO!!"

"JILL!!" The cries of the two men echoed at the same time and a second later Wesker was there, shielding her as the clawed hand swiped at his body, crating deep gashes, but he didn´t move. Maybe he couldn´t move. And then Spencer swiped at them again and the second glass shattered. 

Chris moved too late. Or maybe he wouldn´t have been able to do a thing.

"WESKER!! JILL!!" He thought he saw two figures vanishing into the depths, but it might have been his imagination as well. For a second he expected his lover to appear behind him, but there was only the laboured noise from the mutated Spencer as he snarled. And Chris lost it.

 _"YOU SICK FUCK!! YOU TOOK THEM AWAY FROM ME!!"_ He didn´t care which gun he grabbed as he aimed at the glowing core. Two shots were all he had, but his hands were steady. The two bullets ripped through the core, forcing the mutant man to stumble, snarling as he tried to regain his footing, but it was too late. Watching him to the broken marble floor brought Chris no satisfaction as he grabbed his other gun, emptying the whole magazine into Spencer, then reloaded and did it again, not caring that he was shooting a corpse.

"Wesker... Jill..." Walking to the window he tried to see the bottom, but the storm and the night made things worse. He had to find them. They had to be alive. There was still a chance...

"Chris to HQ. Target is dead. I need agents all around the area looking for Wesker and Jill! Now!"

"Copy that. What happened?" What did happen? Chris leaned against the wall and slid down.

_"They´re gone..."_


	21. Apologies

Three months. Three whole, fucking months, and there was not a trace of Jill or Wesker to be found. The search the B.S.A.A. conducted outside and inside the Spencer estate was thorough and Chris made them search the smallest crevice for any clue, but in the end there was nothing. In one night he lost his lover and his best friend. And though he fought the decision to declare the two dead, he had been overruled.

He forbade everyone to touch either office. Saying they would have to go through him to get to that was enough to make everyone step back and let him have his way. And he spent more nights crying in either office than ever before. He felt truly alone now. Going back to the apartment h shared with Wesker for so long crushed his spirit bit by bit. Sleeping in their bed, seeing the man's clothes, the hair wax he used. The broken pair of shades he kept for almost a decade. It was all too painful. But he never left, a part of him hoping that Wesker would appear out of nowhere as he used to.

For two years he waited. He had his sister, sure, Claire supporting him all the time even as she worked for TerraSave. Barry showed up as well, but neither could undo what happened. Neither could help Chris when the man closed himself off. 

He devoted his life to the B.S.A.A. and fighting bioterrorism. Almost careless, he worked alone, refusing to lose anyone else as he took missions others avoided in hopes of finding perhaps a clue that might lead him to what happened that night. And when he wasn´t working, he was taking out his frustrations and sadness out at the gym, working harder than ever before. His marksmanship improved as well. Now he was fully capable of shooting while running with incredible accuracy. He was probably better than Wesker himself, but he would never find out. Knowing that only made him push harder.

No bodies were ever found. That was the thought that kept him going, that gave him hope no matter what was happening. There were no bodies of Jill Valentine or Albert Wesker to be found around the Spencer estate. So they could still be alive somewhere. He turned to this thought on the nights he despaired the most.

It was two years later, in autumn, when he stubbornly ignored the anniversary of their disappearance, that he found a note in his office he knew wasn´t there the night before. Upon Wesker´s insistence he kept the desk immaculate. It also had to do with the few files that got dirty during their alone time together...

_On the 15th, order pizza._ And right below, written in neat cursive that he recognized immediately. _I´m sorry it took so long._

\---

He was anxious. And terrified. This could be the most cruel joke anyone would ever play on him or the most amazing miracle. But no matter what it was, he followed what was written on the note as he clutched the piece of paper. There was no time, nothing that would show what would happen or when. But he knew that no one could imitate Wesker´s impeccable writing like this.

The clock changed to ten in the evening and he leaned back on the couch, ignoring the fact that the pizza was probably lukewarm at best. The entire apartment was filled with silence and he wanted to scream. There was no sound at all around him as the man sat there on the couch, waiting for something, anything at all.

At eleven, he started to give up hope, staring at the note as hot tears fell from his lashes, smudging the ink. What a cruel joke-

_"Christopher?"_ The voice alone was enough to make him choke up. Within seconds he was standing, staring at the source of the voice and there was only one man in the entire world who it could be. No one could ever even hope to match the aura Wesker gave off. And the man looked the same as he remembered. Tall and pale, his hair slicked back and eyes glowing, no shades. But instead of a confident smile or a cocky smirk there was sadness. "I´m sorry we-"

The man never got to finish the sentence, embraced by powerful arms, lips claimed in a bruising kiss that tasted just a bit salty from the tears that continued to spill. And he kissed back, arms wrapping tightly around the younger man, nearly crushing him close. If this was a dream, then Chris wanted to never wake up ever again. He just wanted to keep on dreaming forever. But the need to breathe interrupted once more and as he pulled away, Wesker was still there, a gloved hand brushing the tears from his face.

"Is it really you?" His voice was hoarse, but seeing Wesker nod made everything better. He didn´t understand didn´t care to understand, just wanted to be close to the man and make sure he could never vanish from his life again. Chris felt embarrassed when his thoughts finally managed to penetrate the fog of joy that enveloped his mind and he focused on something other than Wesker, even if only for a while. "Jill?"

"Right here, Chris. Sorry it took so long." Startled, Chris whipped around, reaching for a gun that wasn´t there as he stared at the woman. Instead of a brunette he was staring at a blonde, pale skin nearly glowing under the light. But the eyes and the face... it was still Jill. Somehow. And she was wearing a similar bodysuit to Wesker´s, the zipper all the way to the collar. "You look... buff."

An understatement perhaps, but Chris nodded, unsure of what to say before his mouth decided for him. "Is it... really you?" He watched her reach up, playing with the ponytail for a moment before she smiled. "A side-effect. Not bad though, right? I kinda like being blonde."

The ridiculousness of that statement, of the whole moment, was just too much. Chris´ shoulders began to shake as he started to laugh, unable to handle what was happening. The tears left trails on his cheeks as he continued to laugh and he saw Jill exchange a worried look with Wesker. They were back... there was no doubt about it. One kiss with Wesker and he knew. And that was something only Jill would say after two years of being _dead_.

"Wesker... I think we broke him."

"Understandable considering the time..."

"No-no, I´m fine, really! I just... I´m trying to figure out what to do or say and can´t think of anything." He continued to laugh and felt someone hug him close. It wasn´t Wesker though. It was Jill, her embrace strong, stronger than ever before and something hard pushed into him from her chest where there shouldn´t be anything. That was enough to pull him back into reality. "What... how..."

"Let´s sit down. You look like you´re about to faint."

"Of course I do! Two years... two years and you were both declared dead! We searched the whole place, but-" A hand set over his mouth, silencing him and he stared into Wesker´s eyes.

"Let me explain everything, Chris." And only once he nodded the hand slid away. Seeing Jill sit on the couch and slide down to the floor, opening a box of pizza and eagerly grabbing a slice made him briefly wonder if any time passed at all since their S.T.A.R.S. days, but the changes were all there. Looking back to Wesker he watched as the man sighed, shaking his head

"When we fell... that night, I had to protect Jill. Could not let her get hurt. I managed to break her fall, but the damage was too great. It was a decision between letting her die or... or between using what I gathered over the years. Unfortunately, I was never able to reverse the side effect of her hair changing and her complexion matches my own."

"Vampiric."

"Quite." Wesker didn´t find it nearly as amusing as she did. "I brought her to a research facility and put her into a cryogenic sleep until I had all the resources I needed. My own recovery didn´t take long, for obvious reasons, but hers... I had to work quickly. The incident a few years ago, aboard the ship, revealed that at some point in the past, she had been both infected and cured, so to speak. But the virus adapted. And I had to twist and change it until it worked for her instead of becoming a leech."

Chris looked from his lover to Jill as she devoured a third slice in the time he spoke, then reached for the zipper and pulled it down. Before he could stop her though, she did so herself, revealing just enough to show a crimson device on her chest. "He explained it a dozen times, but all I got from it is that this is some kind of drug or a serum that forces the virus to actually keep me alive. It should come off soon though, so it´s not a permanent thing. But it enhances my physical abilities. Not to be a second Wesker, but enough to be stronger and faster, which I guess is pretty cool, but once this is off I should go back to normal as well."

"By then her body will be fully recovered, but I failed to develop a serum that would fix the new hair."

"And I keep telling him I like it. Looks good, right?"

"Yea..." Chris smiled at her, trying not to think of Jill becoming infected and a serum keeping her alive. He didn´t want to think about this at all. Resting his head on Wesker´s shoulder he closed his eyes. "Feels like a dream."

"It was a long time for us as well. I was forced to remain hidden, let the world think I died. But while I recovered quickly, Jill needed more care, more careful dosage. It took a year before she could walk again..." He felt Wesker tense for a moment and reached out to take his hand. "The serum failed several times before working as intended, so that only got in the way as well. And contacting you, in any way, would have been dangerous. But I will never forgive myself for causing you such grief."

"Wesker..." Chris sat up, reaching out to force the man to look at him and just stared into those glowing eyes. How many times has the man risked to save them by now? Chris forgot to count. Two long years he was alone, determined to continue what they began until he would die. And now they were back. "You... you both have a lot of things to answer for. Questions to answer. But right now I just... I´m so happy... I thought you both _died_!"

Before he could even start to cry he felt the older man hug him close, holding him tightly and once he felt the other´s heartbeat he slowly calmed down. Someone else was holding his hand and he knew it was Jill. They were back and alive.

"I´m sorry we took so long, but we had to be careful and the serum took a while. Wesker kept working day and night. Don´t worry, I nagged him to rest and sleep and made sure he eats, too." Chris chuckled, his throat feeling sore as he suppressed the tears. "I´m going to steal this pizza and see you both later, alright? We can catch up." Chris wanted to stop her, but instead she just kissed his cheek, winking before walking to the balcony. "We´re not going anywhere this time. Wesker promised. And I promise, too. Neither of us is leaving you again, Chris."

And for some reason, he trusted her.

Watching Jill jump without any hesitance was strange, but before he could rush to the balcony to see what happened he was pulled into a crushing kiss, lips ravishing his own and leaving him breathless in a way only Wesker knew how to accomplish. And after a moment, Chris returned the kiss, pulling the man close, tugging on the black suit he wore before the blond pulled away and gently touched his cheek.

"I can never make up for all the grief I caused you, but I can spend the rest of my life making up for it. And I will." And Chris never heard a more amazing promise of the future than this. Giving a weak nod, all that he was capable of, the younger man continued to just hug onto the man and refused to acknowledge any of the questions forcing themselves into his mind. Just for a while longer he wanted to be blissfully happy over having his lover back, even if he could hardly believe it himself. 

Another kiss convinced him quite a bit. And he was more than eager to continue, his hands already trying to find a way to rid Wesker of his clothing, but when they parted for air he made the mistake to yawn and saw a familiar glint in the man´s eyes. Protective and caring. Even with his eyes glowing red and gold and staring from the darkness, Wesker never stopped feeling that way.

"For tonight, let´s just go to bed." A finger was placed over his lips as he tried to argue and after a moment he just nodded. Leaving the other pizza box on the table he slowly got up, hand firmly holding onto Wesker´s as though he was afraid the man would vanish. And he was. But once they entered the bedroom and he felt the man´s hands removing his shirt he knew this was real.

"You´ve been spending your time getting stronger again. It showed not just in your body, but your eyes. The way you stand, the way you carry yourself. I do not deserve you, Chris." Wesker´s lips found his own, or maybe it was him who instigated the kiss. That didn´t matter at all as he just focused on kissing the man, finally locating the zipper to his clothes and slowly tugged it down, revealing the man´s body. No marks were left on his frame, only pale perfection that Chris came to love so long ago. A decade he had spent in love with this man.

_"I love you."_ The words were barely above a whisper as he undressed the man. They were both too exhausted for anything more and aware of this, but that didn´t mean Chris wanted even one article of clothing between them. No, he made sure to rid Wesker of his clothes completely before tugging the man onto the bed, feeling his own underwear he slid off and tossed onto the floor. Within a second he was curled up in the other´s embrace, his head on Wesker´s chest, listening to that powerful heartbeat.

_"And I love you."_ Wesker´s sweet confession was the last thing he heard before sleep overtook him.


	22. I will do this on my terms

They all expected a commotion about the sudden return, but this was overdoing it. Constantly someone loitered around the offices, just to catch a glimpse of Jill and the changes she had gone through or Wesker, who was now considered immortal and speculations about his nature were almost common. But at least one long stare from behind the man´s shades sent most offenders running whereas Jill had to glare. 

The device on her chest remained hidden beneath her clothing of choice and Chris worried about how it affected her, but after a while realized that it was still the same Jill Valentine he had known for so long. The board of directors showed more scepticism. They didn´t trust Wesker, saying clearly that anyone who can survive a fall like that and save someone else is not human. And even if they were right, it didn´t change how pissed off about it Chris felt afterwards.

After one month, barely a week before Halloween, the annoyances finally settled down. Chris could go to the older man´s office without finding someone behind the corner and even their private life was better. No more sudden leaves, no more terrible secrets and missions that could end up being lethal. Everything was finally going back to normal.

Halloween was a strange affair Wesker allowed Chris to decide on a costume for him, though he did not plan to attend the party at all before the younger man decided for them. Lately the man seemed to give in easily, which made Chris wonder if he still felt bad about disappearing without a word. Chris had forgiven him, of course, how could he not? But he couldn´t forget. Ever.

But he had another task now. Reassuring Wesker that he was not just some creation, some sort of tool for Spencer or anyone else to use as they pleased. The man had so many emotions that he hid behind the cool exterior. He felt protective of those he cared about, scared that something might happen to them and he loved Chris. He made sure to remind him of that often, whether with words or actions. But it was a slow process.

Even with Spencer gone, others were around. Tricell was proving to be a strange company as well and more often than not they found themselves discussing possible options to not only infiltrate, but also neutralize them. Their involvement with the B.S.A.A. was considerable, but there were connections to Umbrella. To research that lead to the widespread demand for B.O.W.s on the black market. But for tonight, Chris just wanted to enjoy the Halloween party with his lover. Whom he managed to convince to wear a costume because it would look fantastic on him and it was a bit of a punishment from his side.

He felt the man´s eyes on him yet again as he stripped down to how underwear to change into his own clothes and before he could grab the pants, hands were touching his shoulder, another on his back, lips pressing to a scar on his arm. Wesker has been doing this a lot, too. Kissing the scars Chris acquired over the two years in his absence, as though he could easily remove them like that. He was determined to stop any more harm from coming to the man, but at the same time they both knew it was an impossible feat. The words alone made Chris feel better.

"Come on, you need to change as well."

"I don´t want to." Chris sighed, secretly amused at the childish tone Wesker used as he continued to hold on to him. "Can´t we just stay in and have our own party here?"

"You promised Jill we would come. And I want to see her costume." Chris turned around in the embrace, pulling the man into a kiss. Six weeks at home and he still had nightmares about losing the two. They would never leave him, either.  
"But we still have time until the party starts and I don´t want to sit around wearing... that." Wesker nodded towards the costume hanging off the closet door and Chris chuckled, running his fingers through the man´s messy hair. Soon it would be slicked back and perfect. And each time he saw Wesker like this he had trouble accepting that the man was almost fifty. He had yet to look his age, whether in body or face. And Chris didn´t know or care if the virus was responsible for that.

"I guess we still have some time left." And there was no need to rush. But the moment he admitted this he knew Wesker´s plan and felt the man tug him towards their bed.

It was another hour before they started getting ready.

\---

"This is ridiculous. The outfit is highly impractical for any sort of stealthy movement that such a creature would require and the cape itself is just unreasonably useless." Wesker didn´t approve of the costume at all, but he didn´t take it off. Chris was the one to pick it, of course, and he went along with the idea since he promised he would, but he didn´t promise that he wouldn´t complain.

"You look amazing and you know it, just trying to fish for more compliments." And Chris had given the man plenty while adjusting the little details of the vampire costume. The cape was a bit... odd. Unusable, but it looked good and gave Wesker even more of a menacing presence. But Chris was excited by the fact that the man didn´t need to wear his shades. Eyes almost glowing as the younger man fussed over him, Wesker never looked away, fascinated by the way the man´s costume clung to his skin.

"I´m torn when it comes to you wearing that outfit." Chris smirked and stepped away as he adjusted the silk cravat. He preferred it simple, though even the largest size he could find was rather... clingy. It could be worse though. The white shorts of the sailor outfit were actually quite comfortable and showed off the muscles in his legs, though the shirt could be somewhat better. It showed more of his chest than he was used to and kept riding up as well, but he could deal with that. He did love the hat...

"Why is that?" Chris adjusted the white gloves and made sure that the temporary tattoo was not going to peel off halfway through the party.

"Wasn´t your initial plan to dress up in your old S.T.A.R.S. clothes?"

"Yea, but those are not a costume. It was life. Besides... the shirt´s too small now and I can´t even zip up the pants." He didn´t think he changed that much until it became obvious. And Wesker seemed to have developed some kind of fetish for his body, touching him all over even at the office, taking his gloves off even for a minute just so he could caress the man´s skin.

"You do have a point. Might I also ask why these are required?" Pointing to the two white points in his mouth that made speech somewhat uncomfortable at the very least, Chris grinned.

"Because you´re a vampire and vampires have fangs."

"Recent pop culture also shows they have sparkle and attend high-school." Wesker commented dryly.

"Well, I could probably ask Jill to get some glitter and we can throw it on you."

"I would rather not." Seeing the man sigh he knew he won and pulled him into a kiss, frowning at how weird it felt with the fangs in the way and pulled away. "You´re right... I guess after a while you can take them off. Alright, ready to go?"

"No."

"Come on. You´re going to love Jill´s costume!" He grabbed Wesker´s hand and the man let himself be dragged out and to the elevator, glaring daggers at his own reflection before his gaze slid down to Chris´ ass. Not everything about this was bad.

\---

"What in the world are you supposed to be?" Wesker´s voice could not be drier as he stared at Jill who only gave the man a most cocky smirk. The catsuit was her own, but the pattern matched the one Wesker often went with. The coat though, he recognized easily. As well as the alternations made to it to fit someone smaller. The shades however, did not match at all. "Ridiculous." He reached out before Chris or anyone else could stop him and took the shades from her face, much to Jill´s dismay, but instead placed his own on her nose. "I would never wear such a cheap, plastic piece."

"... that was your problem?" Jill shook her head and adjusted the man´s shades before making sure her hair was still slicked back.

"Of course. Accuracy is important. Details can make or break any outfit."

"Chris, I didn´t know you´re dating a fashionista." Trying his best not to laugh too obviously, Chris nodded and looked from his lover to Jill. Going as Wesker seemed like an awful idea at the time, but it made sense now. And it actually looked good on her. 

"How did Chris get you to dress up as Dracula?"

"He can be very convincing." Chris tried to play innocent, pretending he didn´t know what Wesker meant.

"Damn, Redfield! Trying to make the rest of us bad with those tiny shorts?" The call from another operative made him grin, but a moment later he felt Wesker pull him close.

"People are staring at you." The older man complained, his glowing eyes openly glaring at the culprit of his irritation.

"Relax, they know I´m taken." It was an open secret really. Nobody said a word, probably because nobody dared to. Chris never felt bothered by it, either. As long as they locked their offices they could do whatever they wanted, anyway.

"Perhaps a reminder is in order." 

"A remind-hey! Ow!" Chris winced as the fangs pieced his skin just barely, a bright red mark soon on his neck. With no scarf or any means to hide, it was also rather obvious who did it. Nobody dressed as an old-fashioned vampire...

"Much better." Wesker was once more smug and Jill cackled before digging a small compact mirror from her pocket, handing it to Chris who inspected his neck. A bright red mark and two small dots where the fangs pieced his skin. There was barely a droplet of blood, but still!

"You´re impossible!"

"I know."

\---

"The bioweapons deal is connected to them through various links and black market deals. The best means of infiltrating Tricell would be through an agent. Excella Gionne is the main target. Getting close to her is vital." The slide changed from a building to show a gorgeous woman, the deep neckline of her dress showing more than hiding and just by looking Chris could tell it probably cost a ton. Along with the jewellery she had on her. That kind of woman didn´t go for just anyone.

The slide changed again and he frowned. She was shown with a man, tall, blond and handsome, the model smile on his face only enhanced by the perfect teeth. He also looked to be older... The slide changed again, another blond man, the Italian suit fitting him perfectly. Another slide, the same type and Chris hated where this was going. And he wasn´t the only one.

"These are pictures from the past year. She is related to the founders of Tricell, which makes her an important player. She is also the one whom Jessica Sherawat reported to before and after her betrayal, so Tricell is in possession of information and data regarding the t-Abyss virus and the intel recovered from the Queen Zenobia ship." Jill switched the slide again, showing information on the virus they managed to obtain and work with, but having someone else in possession of any of that was dangerous. To the whole world.

"She´s currently the Regional Director of Tricell in Africa. Nearby is a place often mentioned in the information recovered from previous Umbrella workers as well as Spencer himself. We need to send an agent, have him infiltrate Tricell from a high position and dismantle and destroy the company. And seeing as we know Excella Gionne´s type, it will be far easier for the agent to show interest in her as well and thus rise even more." Jill looked at Wesker and the man glared through his shades.

"No."

"Wesker-"

"No." This time it was Chris who said it and she looked at him, a few others joining her. "He just came back a while ago from being considered dead for two years! You can´t have him leave and go flirt with that woman! Pick someone else."

"Chris... I understand how you feel. I really do. But Wesker is the prime man for this. His genius alone as well as his past work with Umbrella and connection to Spencer is enough to secure him a high position at Tricell. But having Gionne hang off his arm will allow him access everywhere."

Chris looked at the man, not liking this one bit even though everything Jill said made sense. Letting his personal feelings intervene in this mission... it was a bad idea and he knew others might start doubting him. But that didn´t change how he felt about it.

"I have a few conditions then. If you expect me to do this." Wesker stood up and walked to the projection screen, changing it back to the picture of Excella. A dream woman for many, probably, but could not hold a candle to Chris in his opinion. "I will not sleep with the woman or show affection beyond the one she might try to force on me. I will also take a bodyguard with me on this mission who will accompany me everywhere."

"A bodyguard? But you don´t need any."

"But she doesn´t know that. And when she finds out, it will be even easier to explain that even the bodyguard is somehow enhanced." Chris stared at the man for a moment, wondering if he meant Jill. After the removal of the device she was back to normal, though her hair remained blonde, but that was the only change aside from a weak immunity she developed.

"I don´t think having another women around-"

"I meant Chris." Now this surprised everyone and immediately he saw a few speculative glances, more sceptical ones following. "Not only does he have the necessary experience to pretend to be a bodyguard, his physical abilities and appearance fit the description more than any other. He will come with me and work under me whilst I deal with Excella and Tricell my way. Those are my conditions."

Wesker gazed around the room and in the darkness, his eyes clearly glowed behind the dark shades. The others didn´t like it, it was obvious that they hated the idea, but they also knew that there was no one else who matched Wesker´s expertise when it came to the viruses. He was the only one who matched Excella Gionne´s perfect man. And he was right about Chris being a perfect bodyguard, his physique along with his skills perfect.

"..." Nobody dared to argue, because nobody had anything to say.

"Excellent. We shall start getting ready soon while I establish contact with Tricell through my private links." Wesker glanced about the room one last time before leaving, Chris soon following.

He followed the man to his office and the moment the door closed he felt Wesker pin him to it, one hand trapping his arms above his head as his lips were ravished. No words were spoken for several long minutes, right until Chris found his shirt pushed up over his chest and Wesker pressing a kiss over his heart, then staring him in the eyes.

"I´m not leaving you behind again, my Star. _Never again_."


	23. By his side

The mission barely began and Chris already hated everything about it. Most of all he hated that Wesker had to pretend to be interested in Excella and that woman would be all over the man, trying to entice him with that cleavage and her snobby accent. Were this a different world and situation, the two might actually be perfect for each other, but not this one. Wesker was his and Chris kept glaring as he thought about this more and more. Did she only have dresses with such cleavage? Hell, if she would make a sharp turn for sure something would slip out!

He also hated that he had to wear such a stupid body suit. It made him feel ridiculous and left nothing to the imagination. He insisted on wearing a cloak at first, but as they got to Africa he realized he would roast himself alive. Or boil. Both were disgusting. Though with the cloak off he didn´t feel that hot, which he found weird. Wesker´s clothes were made from the same material though, so he definitely had something to do with it. How he didn´t burn in the hot African sun was a mystery.

"Let me do all the talking. Bodyguards do not speak unless spoken to. And we cannot have her become suspicious, no matter what may happen, Chris." He nodded, following barely a step behind the man as they walked into the luxurious building, the smiling secretary eyeing them warily.

"Mr. Wesker, I presume? Ms. Gionne is expecting you. Please, follow me." There was no smile in her eyes and Wesker only smirked, following the woman, the shades on his nose bound to raise suspicion. Of course, he insisted that Chris wears a pair as well. 

_"If anyone tries to question them, they are too ignorant to know. A bodyguard has the advantage when others don´t know where he´s looking."_ It made sense, but Chris felt strange wearing them. 

They both knew Excella would ask Wesker to remove his, claiming it was rude to talk to a lady like her with them on and though Wesker could not care less, it played into his cards just perfectly. His eyes were a nice addition to the plan and revealing the virus inside him would ensure his place and her interest. As a last, final touch, he made sure to attach the deactivated device Jill used before to Chris´ chest. "Claiming it keeps you under control and obedient will impress her even more."

Chris really hated this. The fancy office looked more like a lounge of some kind, comfortable seating and expensive furniture and the woman herself standing by the window. Perfect makeup, hair smoothened into a style that probably took an hour and Chris could not look away from her chest as she turned around. How did nothing slip out? Thank fuck for the shades that hid his gaze.

"Ah, Mr. Wesker. Pleasure to finally meet you in person. I must say, the files I received after you joined Tricell said nothing about you as a person, but the achievements and results speak for themselves." Damn that accent. Chris hated it. But he loved Wesker´s. And seeing the woman move he knew that she was dangerous. Young and already in charge, intelligent and attractive enough to subdue just about any man and have her way. This was bad.  
"Your friend is staying?" Her gaze shifted to Chris and he remained standing near Wesker, not even looking at her now.

"My bodyguard. And yes, I prefer to keep him around. He has proven to be most useful in the past and I would rather not have him wander off." Wesker´s voice was so cold as he spoke, waiting for he to sit down before taking a seat himself.

"Someone with his body seems like the useful type. At least when it comes to manual labour. I prefer, as they say, brains over brawn, but finding both in a man is nothing short of a fated encounter, don´t you think?" Chris wanted to gag.

"Just like finding intelligence and beauty at the same time in a woman, yes, I perfectly understand what you mean, Ms. Gionne."

"Please, call me Excella." She all, but purred, batting her eyelashes.

"Of course." Chris took small satisfaction in seeing her smile falter as he didn´t offer for her to use his name and her back straightened, chest proudly on display as she pulled over a laptop and showed the man what appeared to be a small flower.

"This is the location of the flower described in the remaining diaries of Lord Spencer. Stairway of the Sun. A most lovely flower, which the natives used to determined their one true leader. Only someone strong enough, with the will and the mind, would obtain great power to lead them after eating the flower. I imagine a virus created from it would be even more potent, allowing only the strongest to survive." She knew already. Chris was not even surprised and watched as Wesker smirked, reaching out to take off his shades.

"Excellent, your reputation truly does you no justice, Excella. Indeed, only the strongest survive. Those who are able to transform this world and become the new rulers." Plural. Wesker looked at her, his eyes staring her down and for a moment Chris saw hesitance before she smiled, the silk of her dress hiding nothing.

"Such a new world would truly need a strong leader. A god, a king of all to lead them." Chris nearly gagged again and forced himself to star forward. He was a bodyguard. Just a bodyguard. No movement, no speaking, nothing at all. "And a king will need a queen at his side." Fuck this... 

"What an interesting proposal. I must say, I am intrigued. Working for Tricell has allowed me to continue my research with the viruses, the various strains and serums used to fight them. All the data from those who developed them and tried to control them as well as everything pertaining to the unworthy fools who tried to use them. A pity really. Such a waste of intellect." Chris hated this. Hated how much Wesker sounded as though he meat what he said. As if all this was just a game to him and this new world was a reality he craved.

"Of course. I feel like your talent is wasted on those labs when you could be working on something bigger. Something far more powerful. And there are plenty of willing test subjects around that no one will miss." Chris felt sick again. "Perhaps... yes, it would be the most beneficial not only for us, but the world itself to work together. A partnership." Again she said that word as though the meaning changed while nobody was looking.

"You seem to have thought this through before I came, Excella. But I have to agree. Already I have made plans to reopen and old Umbrella Research Center in order to work properly and without any interruptions." Chris didn´t even know there was one, but he wasn´t surprised. A company like Umbrella would have one in Atlantis if they could.

"And you seem to have thought about this as well, Wesker."

"Of course. I don´t enjoy wasting time on trivial matters. I have a set goal and plan to accomplish it."

"So there´s no time in your life for a distraction from your research?" She could not be more obvious if she would strip off that dress and lie on the table. Chris had to resist laughing at his own thoughts now glad that she couldn´t see him or was too distracted by Wesker. The blond seemed as composed as ever though, as though he dealt with this on a daily basis. Well he did deal with Chris, but often it was him who started it, too. Like when he first put on the body suit...

"Perhaps... I could use something to entertain me. Both in this world and the one I shall create once the new virus is complete. But I will only accept _perfection_ by my side." The words made Chris freeze for a moment. Everything sounded strange, but the last thing Wesker said was truly genuine. The tone of his voice softened and he slowly stood up, letting Excella beam at her own reflection in the laptop screen while Wesker´s eyes fell on Chris.

"I would expect nothing less, Wesker. You will find all the necessary access codes delivered soon enough, as well as some more information you might consider of interest. Other than that, I shall be expecting you soon. Perhaps... you could come without your bodyguard. As silent as he is, his presence is not required. Tricell is safe." She didn´t like Chris´ presence and he took small pleasure in that. But dreaded the idea of leaving Wesker alone with the woman.

"Perhaps, but what might surprise you is the fact that I owe him my life. More than once, in fact." The news seemed to shock her, but she wasn´t the only one. But Chris couldn´t show it.

"Even with-"

"Yes, even with the virus running through my veins and making me genetically superior to anyone else, this man however is special. I would not keep anyone I wouldn´t consider useful or important by my side." For a moment Wesker stared at her before putting his shades back on and Chris had no idea what it was about, but soon she was beaming again, all cocky smiled.

"As expected of the king of a new world." And Chris would bet that she saw herself as the queen. The fact that Wesker didn´t offer her the use of his name, didn´t seem to even glance at her cleavage or directly address any plans for her future made Chris wonder why she seemed so happy. "Very well then, I guess I can get used to his presence. He is rather easy on the eye, although not my type." Chris had to focus really hard on Wesker´s presence now, lest he would actually gag.

"I will be seeing you soon, Excella." Wesker´s smirk was back on his face as Chris opened the door, letting the man exit first, not even looking at the woman as he closed the door and followed. For a while longer he had to keep this up. 

At least following behind Wesker gave him a great view of the man´s ass.

\---

"She was practically fucking you with her eyes!" Chris was fuming as he paced up and down in the hotel room, glaring outside. Wesker insisted on checking the room completely for any bugs that might have been placed, but they only found dust in the vents. Which was somewhat comforting. Excella trusted Wesker and that was all on her.

"I noticed that she wasn´t trying to be subtle." Wesker poured a glass of brandy, watching his lover with a soft smile.

"And you didn´t even react! She definitely will figure out that you are not into her and then what?"

"So you want me to pretend to be attracted to Excella?"

"No!" That was the last thing he wanted!

"Ah, so you want me to not be attracted to her." Why was Wesker smirking? Chris glared at the man, snatching the glass from his hand and downed it, ignoring the burn down his throat it left behind. 

_"Yes!"_

"Then I don´t see what the problem is, Chris."

"The problem is that you have to pretend to be attracted to her so she takes the bait and... stop smiling like that! This is serious! We can´t fuck this up!" Chris was now glaring at hi, frustration clearly showing.

"We won´t, I assure you. The thing about a woman like Excella is that she is used to getting what she wants. And from the looks of it, she wants me. Which will only make her fight harder to get what she desires. Soon enough, she will do as I order without any question. You will see." Wesker pulled him close, kissing his cheek softly before tugging on the zipper of the body suit, slowly pulling it down.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I dealt with her type before. It´s nothing new or special. But what she wants will never come to be. I told her after all, that I will only accept perfection at my side." Wesker continued to pull the zipper down to Chris´ waist and the younger man eagerly tore the glued-on device off. It hurt and left his skin red, but at least he knew it would hold.

"Yea, I heard... what was that about?"

"How can someone like her hope to replace you? Even if she doesn´t know that we have been together for a decade, the place at my side has been taken for just as long." Turning around, Chris stared at the man, setting the device on the dresser for now and tried to understand what he just said. Though it was more like trying to accept what Wesker said, since he understood completely. And he disagreed.

"Wesker, I´m not-"

"You _are_. From the moment I hired you for my team. Since the first time you stood up to my and questioned my order. The moment where you cried and put yourself in danger and continued to fight for a world that doesn´t deserve you. For over a decade, you are my perfection." Wesker wasn´t making any sense at all now and Chris was determined to show him that he was wrong, but instead he found his lips captured and his words silenced.

He always thought that Wesker was perfect. Everything he had done was precise and thought out. From his hair to the symmetry of the laces on his boots back at S.T.A.R.S, to the way he looked now with the top buttons of his shirt unbuttoned and glowing eyes staring into his own... Wesker was always perfect. It made no sense that the man he loved would think that way about him.

"You are perfect, Chris. Which is why I can never let you go." He had no argument left, only able to kiss the man back when their lips touched again. And thought he still thought that Wesker was wrong, a big part of him was happy. 

Too bad he couldn´t rub this into Excella´s face. At least, not just yet.


	24. There is always at least one

Three long months of staying silent while he had to watch that awful woman blatantly flirt and nearly rub herself all over the man who was just trying to take Tricell down from the inside. At least she was too oblivious, caught up in trying to get the man to notice her beyond the professional side she sometimes displayed. She wanted Wesker because he was a genius, but also powerful, already beyond being a human, already far more than she could hope to be and a man like that was alluring to her. And Chris could just stand there and watch and not let it affect him.

At least it helped that after Wesker explained his constant presence she accepted it, almost sounding impressed when he showed her the device attached to Chris´ chest, even if it was nothing more but glue at this point. He still obeyed perfectly and kept an eye on his lover. But three months? Did research always take this long? It didn´t help that it was boring as fuck and he could not do anything at all. 

Wesker was working constantly now and the inspections outside of the research facility were at least interesting. But Chris hated when Excella demanded human testing to start. And Wesker had to comply, but slyly allowed her to take over so she would feel a part of something greater. Other scientists were always around as well, watching, eyeing Wesker warily as he stood above them all with Excella at his side and they hated the man for it. But his work proved successful, which impressed them and terrified Chris.

"Still not good enough, but perfecting it takes time and patience. It seems that our partnership is working out well." She practically beamed at the man as he said that, touching his arm as the animal in the lab below writhed, the tentacle-like things coming from the mouth making Chris feel sick. So this was Uroboros? He looked up the word once and got something about a snake eating itself. What a strange name and knowing it came from the same virus that his lover had been injected with when he was a child worried him.

"There is still work to be done, but I am loving how many results came after only a few months whereas for years Tricell´s own scientists have not been able to improve upon the formula. It truly takes a great man to work with such a serum." Wesker looked at her, eyes once more hidden by shades since others were around and briefly he smirked.

"Soon the serum will be perfected and we can start testing on something more suitable than dogs." Chris knew what the suggestion was, but then saw her frown for a moment.

"But if a subject proves suitable, wouldn´t that be trouble down the road?" She was actually pretty smart. Cunning even.

"Then I will have to find a subject worthy of the perfected Uroboros." And Chris didn´t doubt who that would be, the woman already smiling, probably picturing herself ruling by Wesker´s side.

Two weeks later, the B.S.A.A. came to Africa. Chris was worried, but all he could do was watch the African branch move through the suspicious towns and villages. He didn´t even know who gave the order for them to move in, but he would find out. 

"They might get in the way and upset our plans. Apparently they have no Captain that leads them and I need to find out who is responsible for all of this." Chris watched the video that Jill sent them via a private com link and frowned as Wesker did the same.

"Sheva Alomar. I know her. Excella mentioned her once when talking about pesky agents. Getting her to withdraw might not be easy. She has her own agenda regarding the death of her parents connected to Umbrella." Wesker sat back, arms crossed over his chest before he switched to another video feed. They had to be careful.

"Can you deal with her?"

"Yea. What will you tell Excella?"

"That I sent my bodyguard to ensure the B.S.A.A. don´t get in the way, of course. If anything, it will make her even more impressed." Wesker smirked and Chris glared at the screen again, then felt the man pull him onto his lap. He hated this position! It made him feel weak and strange to be sitting in the man´s lap like this, strong arms wrapped around him and Wesker nuzzled into his neck. "You don´t need to be jealous, Chris."

"I´m not jealous..." 

"You´re also a bad liar." Another kiss and he sighed. He knew that Wesker was smiling even though he couldn´t see his face and after a moment he relaxed. He really hated this position, because it calmed him down and made him feel closer to the man.

"That virus you were testing earlier this month... Uroboros. What is going to happen to it?"

"I will complete it. And alongside of it I have the proper serum to neutralize all effects, of course. A virus is only worth something if a vaccine exists, but this one needs complete control. I will not let her use my research for some kind of chaotic world order with her as a queen." Wesker´s voice sounded almost upset and Chris turned around in his lap so he could face the man.

"You have to be careful."

"I am aware. But I adore how protective you are. And appreciate it all the more after everything that happened." Wesker kissed him and Chris didn´t even try to pull away, instead softly kissing him back and pressing close. These moments when they could be together made everything worth it. When the man pulled away he sighed.

"We have about two weeks left. Not even that. Can we pull this off? Just the two of us?"

"We have to." Wesker kissed him again and Chris let him again, then leaned into the man, nuzzling into his neck. 

"I miss our place back in England. Our bed. I miss Jill and hanging out at her office." Chris wanted to go home.

"I miss them too. But soon we´ll be back and this mess will be over. I promise." And Chris trusted him.

\---

Dealing with Sheva Alomar was a pain in the ass. The woman was determined to finish everything herself, barely let him finish a sentence and Chris had to repeatedly raise his voice to get a word in. She was going to jeopardize the mission with her meddling, could end up being the one responsible for the deaths of thousands if she wouldn´t stop interfering.

"But these people are dying because of that woman. It is my responsibility!" Again with this crap. As if the rest of humanity was not affected, as if the rest of the world hadn´t been suffering the same.

"People all over the world are dying because of B.O.W., not just here. But we can stop it and prevent such deaths once this mission is over. But if her focus shifts and she starts researching the B.S.A.A. she will find out more than she should. This operation has been ongoing for years. Sheva, you know better than anyone else how long it takes to finish something you started and we are going to finish this properly." Frustration was mounting. Being away from Wesker was making him worry what was happening, what he would tell Excella.

"Am I expected to just watch?"

"No! But leave this to us. There are still black markets where she won´t know what is happening and there are people dealing with older virus strains and B.O.W. that destroy and kill. And nobody cares about those. In Egypt a terrorist attack at a tourist resort killed hundreds. Use the B.S.A.A. to get access and take out the black markets and take out the dealers and find the source of what they are selling." He tried to be convincing the same way Wesker was each time, but lacked something for sure.

She didn´t believe him and probably didn´t trust him, but for a moment she was silent, watching the man as she pondered what he had said. She was good at what she did and that was the reason she had to go elsewhere. This whole operation depended on them being able to finish what they started and how they started it.

"I will have a look at these black markets. But if you two fail, I will do everything in my power to ensure that the B.S.A.A. will know about this and that it was your fault." 

"Fair enough." Not at all. He had been doing this for over a decade and during the two years his lover and Jill were gone worked his way through more monsters than anyone else. He knew what he was doing and Wesker even more so. This woman was just trying too hard. He couldn´t help himself and compared her to Jill for a moment. No way. She could never be like her.

Relaying the changes to Wesker later felt good and he let the man deal with Excella. The man was right. The woman was impressed and even praised the silent bodyguard for doing something right, which meant nothing to Chris at all. She was still all over Wesker, following him around in high heels and silky dresses that were anything, but suitable for a lab. And Wesker had to start showing her some kind of affection, even as fake as it was.

Chris watched as she leaned against him, shamelessly close and the man moved his arm just enough to brush his elbow over his breast. Instead of moving away, she stayed where she was, even when he did it again and Chris had to look away, staring at a giant tube instead, but in the warped reflection he could see everything.

Just a while longer.

Excella paid no attention to someone like him at least and that helped, but Chris watched the progress. Watched as one of the researchers, a creep with an even creepier voice, tried to get her to fund his own branch, tried to get the woman to pay attention to him. When Chris caught him staring at Wesker, he knew the man would be trouble and told Wesker so.

"I doubt he would be foolish enough to try anything, but we shall see. Keep an eye on him, Chris. The virus is finally complete." Wesker stared at him, touched his cheek, but Chris felt scared. A virus like that being complete meant that the testing would start soon and she would want to... test it on herself. And they couldn´t let that happen. "Everything will be fine. Trust me. I ask it so often of you, I know, but I know what I am doing."

"I will never forgive you if you get hurt." Wesker´s smile did little to reassure him. 

The large lab seemed like the perfect spot to test the new virus, or at least Excella decided so. She wanted it to be grand, a reveal worthy of a new world. Wesker kept watching her as she addressed the other researchers, comparing their efforts to what Wesker had done in such a short time and Chris could see the anger in their faces, but nobody even stirred. As if they already knew that Wesker´s intellect surpassed theirs.

Only Irving seemed annoyed, openly glaring at the blond man and at Excella. When Chris moved away from them and behind him, he kept an eye on her instead of focusing on Irving and maybe that was his mistake.

"Of course, the perfect virus will need the perfect host to assure it will adapt. And who would be a more suitable candidate, but myself? After all, Wesker himself already is as close to perfection as any man could possibly be and only deserves the best by his side." For once, Chris agreed. The man was indeed perfect. Staring at her as she calmly walked to a lavish love seat, enjoying the attention, Chris nearly wondered why there wasn´t a spotlight on her.

"My research is just as good... I will show her... and that asshole. All the money I earned selling it shows that I made the perfect virus..." The mumbling drew his attention away from Excella, just in time to watch Irving inject something into his neck. And the moment the man started bulging and twitching, Chris knew he fucked up. A perfect serum would not do this. In fact, a perfected virus would not affect the host at all. Wesker was the proof of that.

"Wesker! It´s Irving!" Calling out to the man he watched Irving´ body twitch and tentacles sprout from somewhere in his back. Or chest. He couldn´t tell as his body began to transform and the rest of the researchers scattered. He knew better than to wait for him to finish. Chris drew his gun, emptying the magazine into Irving´s writhing frame, but it seemed to just absorb them, little damage actually done.

"Normal bullets do nothing, got it. Guess we have to do this the old fashioned way." Find the weak point an destroy it, thus destroying Irving. It felt like he had done this a thousand times already and maybe he did. Chris grimaced as he reloaded the gun, moving around the large area as Irving knocked over the railing, his massive form barely contained on the catwalk.

"Irving! Stop this at once you fool!" Excella´s voice only served to agitate the man further and a disturbing laugh came from the man as he swiped at Wesker. Of course his target was the man he was jealous of. Leaving a slimy trail behind, Irving was determined to take him out. Wesker however, was as calm as always, stepping aside when Irving swiped with a tentacle at his head.

"This is what happens when a virus is flawed. Or when the subject itself is deemed unworthy." He almost sounded amused and Chris was loathe to admit that he might be right. Irving was an idiot, but right now he was a powerful monster idiot. Excella at least did the smart thing and left the large room, leaving Wesker and Chris to deal with the mess. No doubt was she watching all of this...

He didn´t have time to think about that. Instead he shot at the tentacles, the writhing mass disgusting as the man tried to swipe at him instead, but just tried to get him out of the way. At least Wesker finally moved, but instead of avoiding the mutated man he grabbed at the tentacle that tried to swipe at him and tore it off with a look of great distaste as he stared at the slime left on his glove. "Disgusting."

The gargled noise from Irving made no sense and Chris didn´t feel like wasting time on the man. Whatever he used probably had no serum to turn him back or a vaccine. Not that it would work now. Instead he focused on finding the weak spot while Wesker kept the man busy, calmly dealing with the slimy tentacles that tried to hit him.

"It´s all your fault!!" What appeared to be a weird shell now opened, revealing the fleshy inside that actually had a face... and a voice. "If it weren´t for you, I would be the top! My virus would have ruled this damn world! All the power and wealth would be mine!!" That was what he wanted? Chris wanted to laugh, but instead took aim and shot at the opened shell, hitting Irving square in the face. The howl that came from him was deafening, tentacles flailing wildly, destroying more equipment as Wesker finally moved from the damn catwalk and stood beside him.

"Always the same with these idiots. This one is particularly disgusting." With distaste he tried to shake the slime from his hand and Chris chuckled. 

"Serves you right for trying to show off. And you´re not touching me with that, so don´t even think about it." Chris grinned at the man and moved away before Wesker could prove that he would, in fact, touch him as he pleased. Instead they had to focus on Irving, but the monster stopped, the shell opened once more as the bloodied man stared at them.

"You shit! All this time with Excella... and you were a fag? Fucking with that bastard?" Glowing eyes narrowed and a second later Chris saw Wesker grabbing the thickest tentacle that tried to swipe again and tore it away, using it to hit Irving in the face.

"I won´t let you insult Chris!"

"Wesker! That´s not-... for fuck´s sake who cares about that!" Chris was more worried that Excella could have heard that, but he wasted no time. A regular bullet might not be enough, but his hand cannon proved time and time again to be perfect for the occasion. He didn´t hesitate to grab it, waiting for an opening that Wesker gladly provided. The sickening sound of the shell being forced open before a part of it was ripped away was enough to make a grown man like Chris cringe. He wasn´t going to be eating any seafood for a while.

"Chris! Now!" Wesker forced the shell open, keeping out of the way just enough for the younger man to be able to take aim. Come to think of it... he had yet to challenge Wesker to another marksmanship competition. After this, they were definitely doing that. He fired, six consecutive shots and watched the powerful bullets rip into Irving, the fleshy remains of what used to be a man squirming as he screamed.

Wesker jumped off the creature, taking another part of the shell with him just to be sure, but once he saw the mutated body dissolving he knew there was nothing more to be done. And he watched, wanting to make sure that he would be done. The steaming pile smelled disgusting and Chris watched with distaste as only the inside remained. Irving, or what was left of him, his entire left half replaced by what looked like boils. His lower half was gone completely. There was no vaccine for something like this.

"All those months... and wasted on an idiot who has been fucking his bodyguard, hah! I bet he´s not even that! Excella! Your darling is fucking another guy!!" The man started to laugh and Chris was already reloading the hand cannon to ensure he would shut up for good. "I bet you´re... you´re not even here for the virus! I bet you´re trying to stop us! Am I right? Huh? Heh, figured it out too late... fucking bitch. It´s all her fault." Chris didn´t even have to shoot him as Irving let out a last breath, the last part finally dissolving as well.

"What a foolish man."

"At least that´s over. Do you... think she heard? If she finds out-"

"Oh, I already have, Mr. Redfield." The voice made him wince as he turned around to look at her. Excella stood here, as fashionable as always, glaring at the two of them. "I should have known from the start that you were not just a bodyguard. Too bad, Wesker. Guess I will rule the new world as a queen without a king. But if England can do it, so can I." She threw something towards them and when Chris looked down he cursed.

The empty Uroboros syringe.

It wasn´t over yet.


	25. Falling apart

"I shall be the lone queen of the new world." Excella´s voice was as annoying as before, only this time it had an edge to it. She had no weapon, probably decided she didn´t need it. After all, who would be more worthy of Uroboros, but someone who considered themselves perfect? Chris saw her gloat as she slowly walked towards them, heels clicking and raised his gun, only for it to be lowered as Wesker put his hand on it.

"What are you doing? We have to kill her! She can´t become like you!" 

"She won´t." Wesker was as calm as always, watching the woman take another step towards them before stopping, her eyes wide. With her next step she stumbled, coughing, shock evident in her face. Watching her write on the floor was disturbing, the silky dress doing nothing to hide the agony she was in. Chris slowly raised the gun again, trying to aim for her head, but it was too late.

A second later long, black tendrils erupted from her mouth, an ear-splitting scream accompanying the sudden change as they enveloped her. Watching her face vanish in the mess of tentacles was revolting.

"Uroboros rejected her. I told you. It will only accept _perfection_. I have no doubt that _you_ would be a prime choice, Chris, but I will never let that virus near you." Wesker moved to step between Chris and the mutating woman, flexing his fingers. "She was a great asset, allowed me to finish working on a vaccine for the virus that Tricell has been spreading in Africa and planned to destroy the world with. But I cannot allow this to continue, Excella. If only you had seen reason the way I have so long ago..." Wesker sounded almost sad.

A moment later he reached in the middle of those tentacle and let Uroboros/Excella absorb him. Chris cried out, gun raised, but the fear of shooting Wesker by accident would not let him pull the trigger. "Wesker! Wesker, get the fuck out of there!" The man was insane! Chris dodged one of the tentacles, barely missing large shards of glass from a broken tank and stared as the creature continued to writhe. And he couldn´t see Wesker anywhere.

What was he doing? It made no sense and Chris was terrified as he watched the writhing mess slowly rise, expand even more. He had no idea what to do! He had to save Wesker somehow and destroy Excella, but the question was how to even accomplish that. He was desperate, unable to use his guns, unable to fight it with bare hands.

_Perfection._ Wesker said that he would be a perfect candidate. So if he could find a serum, like the one Excella used, then he could... then he would be able to fight her! For a moment, just for a few seconds, he felt terrified at the idea of becoming a monster like her, but Wesker... he trusted his lover´s judgement more than anything. Rolling out of the way again he waited for a moment longer to see if Wesker would emerge from the middle of those tentacles, but when nothing happened he ran.

He knew where the lab was. He spent months walking around like an idiot with nothing better to do. Having all the codes and access keys memorized helped, but he still felt the mutated Excella going after him. There was no one else around in the facility either, the researchers having all ran, the staff having abandoned their tasks in order to flee the place and Chris couldn´t blame them.

Making his way to the lab took a while and he simply broke the door instead of bothering with the lock. The finished virus was carefully protected in a glass case, the access limited to Wesker alone. Bulletproof, from the looks of it and Chris hit it hard, frustrated that all separating him from it was this flimsy protective case. He could hear the sickening sound of writhing tentacles closing in.

"Open you fucking piece of shit!!" He hit it again, even shot at it, but all he made was a barely-there crack. Putting the gun away he gripped the control panel, figuring that ripping it out might help, but the moment his hand touched the screen a green light lit up, scanning.

_ACCESS GRANTED ___

__"The fuck?" How? No, that could wait. Gripping the virus he felt suddenly ill just staring at it. What were the chances of Wesker being wrong on something like this? Maybe he would become just another mindless monster like Excella and Wesker would have to kill him. Well... if anyone would have to do it, he would rather it be Wesker than anyone else._ _

__Ready to inject himself, Chris was too late to dodge the tentacle that ripped through the air and hit him square in the chest. His body hit the glass wall that separated the lab from the large area below and when it shattered he barely managed to roll before the fall. The air was still knocked out of him and the syringe fell from his hand. Groaning he looked up, watching Uroboros slowly descent. It should be moving faster. It was... mocking him._ _

__Touching his neck he frowned when he realized there was no trace of an injection and lunged for the virus syringe again. Still intact and unused. But he was ready. He had to save Wesker and no matter what the cost was, he would do it. The man suffered enough. Loss and pain and games for almost fifty years._ _

__"I won´t let you have him or hurt him!" Not that his shouting had any effect, at least not that he could tell. Chris stood up, eyes glaring with determination as he placed the syringe at his neck again. But before he could push the plunger down the mess of tentacles began to writhe as in pain, a screeching sound coming from it. And he had no idea what was going on, staring in confusion. A second later the hand holding the syringe dropped._ _

__Uroboros stopped moving forward, not even focused on him any longer and continued to writhe, more gurgling sounds, as if someone or something was screaming. But it didn´t sound like Wesker. The man would never scream; Chris knew that much. But he was utterly confused, his hand gripping the syringe._ _

__And then Uroboros exploded, black mess of tentacles falling all around, dissolving into disgusting goo that he didn´t want to go anywhere near. Which was all the worse since it was everywhere. In the middle of that mess, panting hard, but smirking, stood Wesker, covered in that goop from head to toe._ _

__"Sorry I took so- _Chris, what are you doing with that?_ " His eyes immediately narrowed, staring at his hand and Chris held up the virus._ _

__"You said that I would be a good candidate. It seemed like the right choice. You were... you just jumped in that fucking thing! What was I supposed to think?"_ _

__"You should have trusted me, Chris!" Wesker was storming over to him, anger evident in the glowing eyes as he took the syringe from his hand and pocketed it, Leaving it behind would be a disaster for sure, but Chris hated how the man treated him like a kid._ _

__"I _trusted_ you! For over a decade I trusted you and you keep vanishing on me! You keep doing things that made me think you died! You give no explanation and treat me like a fucking kid and I´m sick of it, Wesker! Watching you jump in the middle of that... that fucking thing was the last straw!" Wesker´s eyes widened for a moment, just as Chris realized what he said._ _

__"The last straw?"_ _

__He could take it back. Right this second he could just say or do something and take it back. They were both exhausted and the mission was finally over after long months and emotions were running high, so maybe he could use all that as an excuse. He just had to take a deep breath and calm down before he would fuck this up._ _

___"Yes."_ _ _

__\---_ _

__The deafening silence between them was probably the worst thing. After a decade, neither knew what to do or say. How to act. And Chris stared down into his lap in the conference room as Wesker presented what happened in Africa and all the achievements they made. The virus and the vaccines, the Tricell assets now belonging to the B.S.A.A., Excella being gone and Tricell finished once everything was done. It was a success and they all could see how well Wesker worked when they believed in him and trusted the man´s superior judgement._ _

__Chris didn´t Or rather hadn´t, making the mistake of fucking up. And now... now it was too late._ _

__It was way too easy to obtain an apartment at the top of the B.S.A.A. housing. He moved the moment they returned to England. Nobody noticed a thing. But the new place felt so empty and cold, nothing about it comforting or familiar. He even moved when Wesker wasn´t there, just to avoid him. His heart was breaking bit by bit. And the more he thought about it, the more he regretted not injecting himself with the virus. If it would have killed him, it would have spared him the heartbreak at least._ _

__The door to his office remained closed most of the time now, rarely anyone visiting the first week back. It was only when Jill showed up to join him for lunch and asked where Wesker was that he came clean._ _

__"We... broke up." Watching her choke on pasta was not enough for him to even crack a smile. He didn´t feel like smiling. He just felt like drinking himself to sleep every night, which was proving highly effective._ _

___"WHAT!?"_ _ _

__"Stop shouting. It happens all the time. People just... break up. It´s not a big deal." He really was a bad liar. Not even he believed those words._ _

__"Not you two! Not after everything-Chris... what happened in Africa?" She stood up, walking to the door and locked it, then sat on the couch and patted the spot beside her. "Come on, we need to talk. This isn´t... like you two." Chris didn´t want to, but the pent up emotions inside were too much._ _

__An hour later he was finished crying, his eyes tender and red. Jill just hugged him and he knew she wasn´t sure what to say._ _

__On one hand, he felt that he had every right to be pissed, to want to protect the man he loved, no matter the cost. But at the same time he could understand why someone with god-like power would want to do things himself and protect others around him. Sure, it made sense now, but at the time..._ _

__"It´s too late to fix anything now. We´re done and... it´s my fault."_ _

__"I don´t know about that. Either of that. You waited for two years, right? And all you two did couldn´t have been done without you being together. So there´s always a chance. And just maybe, Wesker needs to realize you are not defenceless. You single-handedly lead the B.S.A.A. while we were gone, right? Even without your superhuman boyfriend by your side." Jill sighed and leaned back, trying to make sense of things. "All it takes is some time. So just take it easy you two, get used to being back to normal again and-"_ _

__"I moved out." She fell silent and Chris buried his face in his hands. He felt like he was all alone now. Even with Jill tying to be helpful, he felt... abandoned. Wesker was around, but he could no longer even look at the man in the hallway without feeling his heart shatter._ _

__"Chris..."_ _

__"I have work to do. We have new people applying for the B.S.A.A. and I need to sort through them. Jill, I will see you around, alright?" He stood up from the couch, walking to his desk._ _

__"Chris... if you need anything, you know where I am. And where I live."_ _

__"Thanks, but I´ll be fine. I´m a grown man..." But he felt like an abandoned child now._ _

___-3 months later-_ _ _

__"He has excellent results for someone so young. I think he will make a great asset." Chris looked over the last report regarding one of the new sniper aces´ skills. Piers Nivans. "His family history is rather impressive. Looks like he is following the same path as his father and grandfather. Really devoted to the cause."_ _

__"You sound impressed."_ _

__"I am. It´s rare that we have someone like that applying for the B.S.A.A. when he could skip ahead directly and become an operative based on skill alone." Chris set the report aside and looked at Jill. Her hair never did return back to normal but she didn´t seem to mind at all. What she did seem to mind was Chris´ general attitude._ _

__His drinking habits bothered her. Finding the bottles at his new place, that still looked more like a temporary hotel room housing than anything, worried her, but he never missed a day of work and in fact, worked harder than anyone. Taking missions to the other end of the world, overseeing training, even his reports were impeccable. Chris was throwing himself into anything that would force him not to think about Wesker._ _

__And Chris noticed that he was encountering the man less and less. According to Jill, he devoted himself to solo missions, not accepting working with anyone, even when it came to research. She barely got to see the man, too. As if he was distancing himself from her, from everyone he ever worked with before or was on good terms with. He might as well not be a part of the B.S.A.A., but thankfully, it didn´t come to that._ _

__Chris prayed it never would. The idea of no longer being even close like this to Wesker was painful. Already when they met the man barely acknowledged his presence, the shades never leaving his face and Chris wasn´t sure if the eyes were even looking at him or not. He became Redfield once more and that probably hurt the most._ _

__Work was the only thing that kept him going. In ten years he hadn´t learned that thinking before speaking or acting might be useful, especially when Wesker was involved. But it was too late for regrets._ _

__"So you´re going to see Chambers in Australia in two days. Say hi to her for me when you have the time." Jill smiled and stood up, opening the door only to find Piers Nivans standing there, about to knock._ _

__"Captain Valentine! I was just-"_ _

__"Sheesh, relax. Chris, your new sniper is here for something."_ _

__"Captain Redfield told me to get the information for out departure for Australia."_ _

__"Oh, so you're going with him?" There was a hint of something in Jill´s tone that Chris didn´t like and frowned, watching her glance at him over her should. "Well then, be safe, boys. Don´t have too much fun." She walked off before he could question that._ _

__"Is she coming along?"_ _

__"No, just paying me a friendly visit. Sit down so we can talk."_ _

__"Yes, sir!"_ _

__So young and eager to please. Did he use to be like that? When he first joined S.T.A.R.S. he had been so desperate to prove himself to be worthy of the position, of the trust placed inside him. To gain Wesker´s approval, even the slightest bit of praise affecting him for days._ _

__Heartbreak would probably last much, much longer._ _

__"Captain?_ _

__"Sorry, just... got lost in thought for a moment. Anyway..."_ _


	26. Voices of Reason

He never missed Wesker as much as when he knew that they were no longer together. Chris felt alone, even abandoned, though he was the one who said that it was too much, a part of him hoped that Wesker would come after him. But nothing like that happened. They barely spoke a word to each other and it hurt. Each time he saw the man, which was becoming a rare occurrence, he felt his heart break a little bit by bit.

A few times he considered going to him. Begging Wesker to take him back, but at the same time he knew that wouldn´t happen. Memories were now all he had left. Of the time he took care of the man back over ten years ago, when he got shot twice to save him. It still haunted him sometimes. He still had those broken shades... and he would never get rid of them either. They might just be his most treasured possession. Sometimes he would just hold them at night, ignoring the wet pillow beneath his head.

After he returned from Australia with Piers, Jill insisted a few more times that he tried to patch things up with Wesker, but after nothing happened she gave up. There were still other, bigger things to worry about. Bioterrorism was far from over all. They had to work together, establish teams that they could worth with and while both he and Jill managed to make their own, Wesker remained alone. Apparently, he preferred it that way. And Chris felt he knew why.

Once he passed by the man´s office, secretly hoping to just see him for a moment, but the door was already open a fraction and he could clearly hear Jill´s angry voice inside. And he knew that he should not eavesdrop, that it had nothing to do with him what the two talked about, but instead he leaned against the wall and listened. Just to hear his voice... how pathetic was he?

"Don´t lie to me! Your eyes are _red_!"

"My eyes have been this way for over a decade, but I appreciate you noticing the colour now."

"That´s not what I mean! You were crying again and I can fucking tell, Wesker! I´ve been around you long enough!" He heard something be shifted around, probably papers.

"I don´t know what you mean. Perhaps you are tired and should consider resting as your eyes are deceiving you."

"My eyes work perfectly fine. Wesker, look at me and tell me that you are fine with how things are! That you don´t want to go back to him! Look me in the fucking eye and tell me and try to mean it this time!" The sound of hands hitting hard wood, probably Jill hitting the man´s desk and Chris froze. He didn´t want to hear this. 

But there was no reply from Wesker. Or maybe he considered it redundant, but no words left his lips, none that Chris could hear at least and that moment kept the tiny flicker of hope inside him alive.

"I think you should leave, Jill. I have work to do. There have been unrests in China and Edonia."

"Wesker... fine. Just one more thing?"

"If it makes you leave."

"What colour were your eyes before the mutation?" Chris smiled faintly. He asked Jill once if she knew what colour the man´s eyes were behind those dark shades and she didn´t know. But he did. The most stunning blue he had ever seen. Neither sky nor ocean could ever match it.

"... I´m afraid I cannot answer that."

"Why?"

"Because I don´t _want to_. And it doesn´t matter. They are this way now and will never go back to the previous colour. There´s no reason to do that any longer. Now leave." There was a hint of anger in his voice, but more than that, Chris heard it. The same sadness that he still failed to get rid of himself.

Maybe, just maybe...

\---

"Another B.O.W. and this one is new, Captain." One of the new members of his team showed him a more detailed analysis of the creature in question and Chris frowned. It looked like some kind of reptile creature, a giant lizard. Which made it the third one to categorize and find information about somewhere. 

"Thanks, Carl. I will look into this so we are prepared, but for right now where is not enough info to go on." Chris sighed and leaned back as the man saluted and left. He wished the team members would stop doing that, but at least they listened. Piers especially seemed eager to help and was the first in line to do so.

More months had passed and it was starting to get cold again. He noticed that quickly thanks to the cold he felt each morning, waking up alone in bed. But that wasn´t anything new. He had done it for two years before. He would be fine. Wake up, make coffee, maybe try to eat for once, see about shaving and ignore it, brush teeth, get dressed, head to work. Such a simple routine to follow and almost mind-numbing, for which he was thankful. Not having to think about Wesker and the lack of him close, not having to think of how the man probably moved on...

Staring at the old photo on his desk he still couldn´t bring himself to put away he sighed. A reminder of better, maybe happier days, even though Wesker wasn´t smiling in it. Barry was and so was Jill while Chris tried his best to look natural, squeezed between Jill and Wesker. It wasn´t the closeness to his friend that made him feel flushed, even though he assumed that to be the cause. No, it was how he was pressed into Wesker and felt the man´s hand brush his own back then. Such a faint touch and he still remembered it clearly.

If only he could turn back time.

Rising from his desk he sighed, deciding to maybe grab something to eat after all. He skipped breakfast and lunch. And dinner last night as well as lunch and he doubted that whiskey was considered food by anyone. Not that he cared. But he was starting to have a headache and the last thing he needed was a migraine from that.

"Captain?" The moment he opened the door he found himself staring at Piers who was about to knock. The young sniper was an excellent member of his team. He could easily move through the ranks and lead his own if he cared to, but the young man was determined to follow his lead instead.

"Piers. Training late again?" He had caught him a few times at the shooting range. But more than that, Chris was impressed each time he saw him use the sniper rifle. Someone his age being able to shoot with such precision, easily hitting the target dead on at over 500 metres. And he was constantly improving. Even challenged Chris to a match when it came to firearms, or more like requested a match... it reminded Chris of himself.

He never did get a rematch with Wesker. Just thinking about it made his chest hurt.

"Yes, but actually, I was hoping you´re still here." Chris slowly walked to one of the vending machines, staring at the selection as though it even mattered. It all tasted the same to him. Food always did lately. Come to think of it, he barely bothered cooking. Ordering was easier. And at least he no longer had to look at the apron Wesker had given him long ago. So many memories...

"I´m still monitoring the situation in Edonia since we had another report come in, but no one take responsibility yet." Chris finally hit the button, staring at the Snickers bar. Too sweet and sugary. But it would do.

"You work hard all the time Captain, do you even take time to relax?"

"I don´t see the need to." Work kept him busy, both body and mind. No time to think about Wesker. But even this lie didn´t fool his own brain.

"Well, I was hoping we could do dinner sometime." Chris froze. This didn´t just sound the way it did, right? But the moment he looked at Piers and saw the blush in his cheeks he knew what this was.

"Piers-"

"I know it´s not... proper conduct, but I watched you work so hard and barely take time for yourself and I admire you. You are a legend, but there is so much more to you as well and I... I wanted to ask you out. On a date." The determination in his face was admirable. Chris stared at him for a moment, trying to process what just happened. He had never been asked out by anyone other than Wesker and their relationship was far from normal.

Piers worked harder than anyone on his team, from the moment he started, during his first mission in Australia he had proven how damn good he is, too. He would make a good leader and Chris was glad to have him on his team. And he was not bad looking. His eyes showed determination each time and Chris could admit that he was attractive.

But he wasn´t Wesker.

No one was. Even now he considered the man the epitome of perfection, all anyone could ever want, all that he ever wanted, but they were no longer dating. Aware that he was being stared at and Piers expected an answer, Chris closed his eyes. Moving on was something people did after a breakup.

"Sure... we can have dinner sometime." He had to move on. Walking back to his office a few minutes later he never noticed the blonde woman that hid around the corner and heard it all.

\---

"You´re not listening!" Chris was on his way to the shooting range when he overheard Jill shouting in her office. And he pitied whoever was on the receiving end of her anger. Chuckling he wanted to peek in, but the moment he saw slicked back blond hair he froze and hastily hid around the corner. 

"I heard you clearly the first time, Jill. And I don´t see what the problem is. He´s doing the natural thing, isn´t he?"

"The natural thing would be for you two stubborn assholes to get back together! Not for Chris to start going on dates with Piers or someone else!" How the hell did she find out about this? Tempted to go in and tell her it was none of her business what he did, Chris instead hesitated. She was telling Wesker about this and the man sounded... calm.

"I told you before that it will not happen, Jill." There was a familiar edge to his voice that Chris instantly recognized.

"Why? Because you argued over bullshit? So yea, you were overprotective and Chris was willing to do anything to help, but you were the one who said he would be perfect! He trusted your word and was willing to forsake his humanity for you! Sound familiar!?" He huffed, annoyed that anyone would doubt that he would do anything to save the man he loved. "Of course he was fucking willing to do that when you just walked into that Uros-"

"Uroboros."

"I don´t give a flying fuck, Wesker. You walked straight into the B.O.W that Excella became and didn´t even tell him what you were going to do! Stop trying to play the hero and working alone! For a fucking decade we have been trying to protect and save this world and all the time we need to beg you to work with us, to not just run off and do your own thing!"

"Then I shall simply step down and quit the B.S.A.A. and work alone to spare you the trouble-"

"You´re not listening!! Jesus Christ, Wesker! We want you here! You have been our friend for how long? And you´ve been in love with Chris for even longer than that! You injected a virus into yourself to protect him, were willing to get shot even before that and worked so hard to protect him! But you never let any of us help you or protect you. And don´t give me that bullshit about not needing anyone to help you!" Jill sounded out of breath and Chris actually had to agree with her. 

Wesker always worked alone, not getting them involved unless it was necessary, not unless they found out. And the one time he decided to drag Chris onto a mission just to ensure they would not be parted it ended up a disaster for their relationship.

"Wesker, you have to-"

" _What_ , Jill? What do I have to do? Walk up to him and beg him to forget all that I did? Make him stop moving on with his life? What do you want to hear from me after all this time! _Of course I love him!_ I never stopped loving him! How could I when he is the one constant in my life? All those years Chris was the only thing that kept me going when things got bad and I would do anything to keep him safe and happy. And if he started to move on, then I will fucking let him move on, Jill. Even if it breaks what remained of my heart, he deserves to be happy more than anything in the world. 

"And for years my love was only causing him pain. I will never stop loving him, Jill, but I am sick and tired of being reminded by you and Claire and even Burton that I messed up. It won´t change a thing! I made too many mistakes to be able to make up for them in a lifetime. And each time I think that I can finally be happy something else happens and takes that happiness away! I would rather have Chris be happy with someone else than have life take him away for good! As long as I can watch him, it is enough for me." Wesker seemed to have finished talking, his voice soft, almost broken.

Chris never heard him like that. It was... awful. But all the things he never said to him and how Wesker acted around him, it made sense. Hearing that his own sister and their old friend actually spoke to Wesker, but not to him, was surprising. And Wesker... all Chris wanted to do was step into the room and hug him and never let go again.

"Wesker-"

"I will be working from home for a while, Jill. Let Chris be happy. He deserves it. And you should seek out your own happiness as well."

"What about you?"

"I was happy _once_. It´s enough for me."

"At least... promise me you won´t quit the B.S.A.A."

"...You know I cannot do that, Jill. But for the time being, I still find working here enjoyable. For now though, there are unrests in Edonia that are of interest to me."

"What about Chris? Are you at least going to talk to him?"

"It breaks my heart just to see him in passing and being unable to hold him, Jill. The less we see each other, the better for the both of us. I have to go now." There was a faint movement, the sound of window opening and Jill calling after Wesker as the man presumably used the window to leave.

Chris stared at the ground, the wet drops on the floor looking strange. His face felt oddly wet, too. He returned in silence to his office and sat in the darkness for a while, unable to stop the tears. He knew already that he could never be happy without him. But hearing what Wesker said, knowing the man never said half of that to his face, hurt as much as the words.

He loved the man so much it hurt to breathe. He felt like he was choking. No amount of work could help with this and there was no possible distraction. All he could think of were Wesker´s words. Beg him? There was nothing for the man to beg for. The thought of never being able to even touch the man again was too much and he whimpered again, grabbing the tissues he was running low on already and wiped the wetness from his eyes and cheeks.

\---

Dinner with Piers was actually a nice affair. The Chinese place had good food and wasn´t full, but Chris mostly picked at his food. He knew he should feel hungry, his new diet of protein bars and whiskey and coffee not the best thing n the world, but he just didn´t. Piers was a good companion, but Chris... wasn´t interested in him beyond his friendship.

"Captain? Are you sure you´re alright? I told you we can reschedule..."

"And I told you to call me Chris and it´s fine. It has... nothing to do with you. Or the time. It wouldn´t matter either way." Sighing he looked at Piers, his worry clearly showing in the young face. He had really expressive eyes, a mix between green and hazel and long lashes that even Jill commented on before about being jealous and then talked about mascaras for about ten minutes...

"Then what is it? Lately you..."

"I know. And I´m sorry. Piers, I´ll never be able to... give you more than friendship. I´m sorry but it´s just impossible."

"Oh." The disappointment he caused replaced the worry for the most part. "I think... I understand."

"You don´t-"

"No, I really do. It´s because of him, right? _Captain Wesker_." It still felt so strange to hear others call him that. And it took months for Chris to get used to others addressing him as Captain, too. That title had always belonged to Wesker after all.

"I... yes, you are right."

"You love him. Even though you supposedly broke up."

"We did break up. And it was all my fault. But I cannot... I cannot move on. Wesker was everything to me. Saved my life more times than I can count and I wish I could do the same for him at least once, but now he won´t even look at me and I haven´t spoken to him in weeks..." Chris buried his head in his hands, elbows on the table. "I´m sorry... I´m not used to things like this, but I can´t... you deserve better."

"Cap-... Chris. You´re still in love with Wesker, aren´t you?"

"... yes." Admitting it no longer even hurt. It was just a fact about him

"I guess it´s better to find out now rather than down the road, though I am kinda upset, I will admit that. Seeing you so miserable is just... I don´t know. Wrong, I guess. But seeing you like this makes me actually want to push you towards him. Get you two to talk. Why didn´t you already?" Piers seemed to be taking this more easily than Chris thought.

"I can´t face him. Not after telling him that he´s overprotective and doing too much." Even if it was true. "I´m the reason he´s constantly working alone, why he avoids people... I even moved out without telling him and-"

"That was a dick move, Chris." Staring at the sniper, Chris wondered why he was so blunt about it. Though he had no way to argue. It was a dick move, but at the time he thought it was for the best. So many mistakes he had made. "But that doesn´t mean he wouldn´t talk to you if you tried. I mean seeing you right now like this, hearing you talk like that about a man who frightens half the B.S.A.A. just by looking at the people... you´ve spent a decade with him, right?"

Chris gave a weak nod and considered the idea of talking to Wesker. Chances were the man would shut the door in his face or just vanish. He seemed to have a tendency to do that. One moment he would be near, the next far down the hallway and avoiding him. Now it actually made sense why he would do that, thanks to the conversation he overheard with Jill.

"So talk to him. As things are now, you have nothing more to lose. And frankly... seeing you suffer is affecting _all_ of us. Your team, your friends... I heard Captain Valen-I mean Jill, talk about how you started drinking... and you will say it´s none of my business, but if it affect you at work and later on missions, then I will make it my business. Tch... I can´t believe I´m doing this when I asked you on a date. Took me a whole day to muster up the courage, too."

"I´m sorry. But I´m not dating material."

"Not for me at least. But You really do have to talk to him, Chris. Either way, you have nothing to lose and things can´t get any worse. With the new B.O.W. appearing, we need both of you focused. The B.S.A.A. needs her top operatives back." Piers leaned back, watching him and Chris frowned. He didn´t like where this was going, especially since he had to admit that Piers was right. The upcoming months would be a challenge. And he couldn´t allow himself a distraction like that. He had to be focused, but that would never happen as long as he was still heartbroken over Wesker.

"You might be right... I have nothing left to lose when it comes to Wesker." Staring at his food he hated the way it sounded, but he knew that it was true.

"So you´ll talk to him?"

"On Monday." When Piers frowned he held up a hand. "It gives me just enough time over the weekend to come up with what I want to say and... deal with a few things. But I will talk to him."

"Alright. Well then, I guess at least the food´s good. Though you barely touched anything." Chris was aware of this and picked up the chopsticks again. "You pick them up in a really odd way." Piers commented as he saw him slide one over the other.

"Wesker taught me how to hold them properly. It´s an... old habit." Chris smiled briefly, easily picking up food, forcing himself to eat. Chopsticks... he learned how to hold them and eat with them the night of the _first kiss_.

"You´re thinking about him. It´s really obvious in your face when you do that. No wonder I had no chance. But seeing you happy is just as good I guess. At least I can now move on." Piers actually laughed and Chris felt slightly better, but already he could feel the nervousness start. 

Speak to Wesker. Talk to him about what happened. What would happen. What they had to deal with. And he knew that he had to mention that he heard him talk and maybe, just maybe, the tiny flicker of hope he had would be good for something. He still had a few days left to get his shit together and be able to actually face the man, even though he would need more courage to do that than he had right now. 

Monday came way too soon.


	27. Running out of tears to shed

He had faced countless criminals and terrorists. Monsters that came crawling straight out of a nightmare. Ventured straight into the depths of what felt like hell over and over again to protect the world from destruction. Became one of the best-known figures when it came to fighting bioterrorism and one of the founders of the B.S.A.A., working all over the world. Chris Redfield had the body most would never achieve and skills even more dreamed of. But he never felt this scared.

No, that was a lie. He felt scared before. And each time it was the same. When Wesker was shot, he was afraid he lost the man. When the Tyrant´s arm pierced right through him, he felt that he had lost the man before even being able to confess his love. Whenever they fought against something big he worried about losing the man. And when he did, for two long years he felt broken inside, but never gave up home. And then there was bliss with Wesker by his side. Right up until Africa. 

He procrastinated all day long. Constantly he kept checking the time, the words Piers said to him on Friday still ringing in his head. All weekend he kept thinking about what to say, wrote it down too many times to count and his trash was full of papers now. Even that reminded him of the many times his shaky hands tried to fill out a resignation. His handwriting hasn´t really improved since. Wesker teased him constantly, sometimes looming behind him, the older man´s over his own as he slowly wrote out words in elegant cursive. And Chris never told him he saved all of them, even the ones with circular coffee stains...

His heart was racing as he thought about seeing the man. Already it was late. He drank more coffee than anything that day, skipping both breakfast and lunch, too nervous to even think about eating. The one time he did he felt sick. No, he had to focus. Gathering all the courage he had to talk to the man he loved and beg forgiveness of him. And once his stupid pride would stop getting in the way, beg him to take Chris back. He was scared beyond reason.

Time was merciless. Already most had left for the day, Piers stopping by briefly to say goodbye and give him some more encouragement to talk to Wesker. "Honestly, the man would be an idiot to say no to you, Captain. Just don´t think about it too much and everything will be fine." If only he could believe him.

When Jill dropped by with a file for tomorrow and saw his face, she tied almost too hard to get the reason why he was so tense out of him, but Chris said nothing. He couldn´t. She left with a huff, but still smiled for some reason. As if she knew. Then again, it was Jill, so she probably had an idea. She was scary like that. And the best friend and partner Chris ever had.

And then it was dark outside and he knew he could not prolong this any longer. Wesker might leave, even though he was supposedly working days and nights now without even a small break. Chris´ legs felt as if made of lead as he forced himself to walk forward, down near the labs where the man´s new office now was. He moved there a week after Chris moved away from their apartment.

There was nobody else around; everyone had gone home for the night. Some might still be in the training room or at the swim hall, but the eerie silence that accompanied him made things worse. He could hear his heart going crazy. And in his head, his thoughts were just a loud echo of what he planned to say. He rehearsed it. 

And yet, the moment he stood in front of the dark door he needed a few minutes to compose himself. Smoothing down his shirt, wondering if maybe he should come back tomorrow while wearing something other than the B.S.A.A. t-shirt. They were comfortable... he liked them. And the combat pants as well. He really should wear something else. Right now it seemed like he was here on business and not because...

No. He had to do this. Now or... or never, really, since he would never have this determination again. He knocked, briefly, not even waiting as he opened the door and entered. Wesker´s office was so dark. It suited the man, but before this, his old one was actually brighter. Friendlier. Immediately the man looked up from his desk, staring at him and then his brows furrowed as he frowned. Chris could tell he was being glared at even without seeing his eyes.

"Anything I can do for you, Redfield?" There it was again. That cold, detached tone. As though the past never happened. His name like that didn´t make sense. He missed the way he tended to purr out _Christopher_ and it took so long to get Wesker to call him simply _Chris_. He loved it. And he loved making sure that Wesker knew he was not just one of many, but that he was the only one Chris would ever love. The only Wesker who would ever matter.

And the moment he said his last name, all the things he wanted to say to Wesker were gone. His mind felt blank, not even a lingering thought behind as he just stared at the man. He wanted to apologize so badly, but when he opened his mouth to speak not even a sound escaped him. "Well?" The voice was so full of impatience and Chris could not look away, staring at the man.

This was a mistake. He should have never come here. Just by the harsh tone he knew it was all over, there was no chance of the getting back together or even being civil or anything. He fucked up and lost the one person who meant the world to him. Once more he tried to speak, but not even a whisper came and instead he felt hot tears spill down his cheeks. That explained the blurred vision. And not knowing what else to do, Chris turned on his heel and fled the room, not caring that he couldn´t see where he was going, that he couldn´t stop crying and looked like crap. He just wanted to get away and forget that tomorrow had to come.

He didn´t get far, barely making it to the half of the hallway before a strong grip on his hand stopped him from moving forward and a moment later he crashed into something hard. "R-... Christopher." The anger he heard before was gone, replaced by what sounded almost like concern. Yet instead of looking at the man he just continued to sob, the tears having no end even though he assumed he had none left. He couldn´t move or flee the situation. All he wanted was to vanish.

_"Christopher..."_ The same voice he heard in his dreams for over a decade was still there, soft and gentle like he hadn´t heard it in months and his heart was breaking all over again when he heard the emotion in it and he just knew he was reading too much into it. The tears continued to fall to the floor and he could not do a thing to stop them. 

A second later they were soaking into a black shirt as strong arms locked around him so tightly he felt like he would be crushed if the grip would tighten and he wanted it to. " _Why_... why do you torment me so even after so many months? Even after I made peace with you moving on? Why... when I think that I can finally move away from any feelings of love and affection do you still appear in my mind to remind me that I cannot ever give up on the ones I have for you?" Chris couldn´t think, he just listened, eyes wide and tears still clinging to his lashes.

"I´m so sorry... for being protective. But the thought of losing you, for so long it haunted me. I have never felt so scared of losing someone or something. To the point where keeping you alive and safe took precedence to anything. Even the world itself. Christopher... why can´t I stop _loving_ you? Why are you constantly on my mind even though I tried to do so many things to forget?" The hold tightened some more just briefly and Chris wished the embrace would never end.

"Watching you for so many months, yet not being able to speak with revealing the sadness that filled me up inside... watching you with that young boy and seeing the adorning looks he sent your way. I tried to convince myself that you moving on was for the better, but instead... I wanted to destroy him. Seeing you with someone else nullified all of my efforts within seconds. Trying to forget you, to distance myself from you and our past and instead I just... Chris, I can´t live without you. Please forgive me, my Star." The grip loosened, just barely and he was only too aware of the man looking at him.

"I cannot help my protective nature. Even controlling it would be futile, since at some point all reason is lost and all I need is to keep you safe. I have loved you for so long that I don´t even recall what it was like not to feel love." Warm fingers brushed over his cheek, wiping away the wet streaks, even though more followed. "How many times have I made you cry since we first met? Since you stood there, clutching that plastic cup of coffee in front of the hospital bed, holding onto a pair of broken glasses...

"And then you tried to run away from me and resign and I knew that I could not have that happen. Couldn't allow anyone else to be close to you. For so long I have chased after you and nearly lost you so many times. The constant fear of losing you has been with me since I saw you the first time. But I keep making the same mistake over and over again, forgetting that you... that you are far more than the wide-eyed young man who secretly stared at me from behind his reports." Wesker stopped talking for a moment, but still didn´t let go and soon he felt the man nuzzle into his hair. The sensation alone made his heart race in a way he nearly forgot.

"I keep forgetting that you saved the world so many times... saved all of us. Saved me. And that you don´t need me any longer, yet I cling to the hope-"

"No!" Finding his voice at last, Chris forced himself to look at the man, but that very moment he lost it again. He... Wesker was crying. From behind the dark shades, a few tears made their mark on his face, tracing the chiselled jaw line. "No..." He repeated again, softer, his voice straining to be heard. "I will... always need you." How could Wesker even think that he was no longer needed?

Chris hadn´t even realized that his hands were gripping the man´s shirt, probably leaving two wrinkled spots, but he didn´t let go, terrified to lose this moment forever once he would. "I-I came to apologize... for everything. For saying such stupid things... these past months I-... it was torture, Wesker."

"I... heard from Jill. That you began drinking... skipping meals, working yourself until you were too exhausted to move. I´m-"

"Don´t. Don´t you dare apologize for something I caused." Of course she would tell him and for once, Chris was glad she did. He was glad she spoke to Wesker so often, that he sometimes overheard their conversations. "I didn´t know how to cope and this worked. You were constantly working, too..." Because Wesker always worked harder than anyone.

"Chris-"

I´m so sorry I said it. And... that I didn´t trust you. I should have known better, I know that now, but back then I just saw you walk into that and-and... all I could think of was how I want you back and don´t care what happens. And... I would do it again! I _love_ you and I don´t want to see you get hurt because of me ever again! I love you so much it hurts to be without you and I would rather die than-"

"Don´t finish that sentence, Christopher." There was an edge to the man´s voice and Chris knew better than to ignore the warning. For once, he followed the man´s order and nodded. "I don´t want to live without you. I can´t. Wesker, I love you so much... I didn´t stop for even a second..." Again he was crying, gripping at the man´s shirt. Saying those words out loud like this felt liberating. As if he had never said them before and a great burden was lifted off his shoulders.

"I love you, Wesker... please... please don´t let me go." His voice hitched as he sobbed, fighting hard to stop the tears and when the arms didn´t loosen their grip he felt relieved.

"Chris... tell me that you want me to never let go again."

"I don´t want you to ever let go. Ever. I-I don´t think my heart would survive... people die of heartbreak..." There were a few cases after all.

"Then I won´t. No matter what happens... what the future will bring, I will never let you go, Chris." Again the warm fingers touched his face, wiping away the tears and Chris knew he looked like shit. Crying like that...

_"May I kiss you?"_

"You... only asked once before."

"And do you remember what I also said?" Of course he did. And Chris never actually gave the man any verbal answer at all. His lips briefly turned into a tired smile.

"That you will accept only one answer." And once again, Chris didn´t give it, instead he just nodded.

Not even a second later, Wesker´s lips rushed against his own and he couldn´t contain the moan that escaped him. It was the same as he recalled, yet so much better at the same and if time even wanted to stop, this was the moment. All he could do was return the kiss and hold onto the man´s shirt, refusing to spend even a second away from him. This was not a dream or sure. None of his dreams provided him with solace.

Their lips kept touching and the heat of the kiss only grew. His body was pressed so closely to the older man´s that he could feel his heartbeat so clearly. Wesker´s beautiful heart. The heart that protected him for so long an protected the world all the same. He was utterly in love with the man.

When their lips parted at last, Chris felt dazed, having almost forgotten the effect Wesker´s kiss had on him. Hesitating for a moment, he reached out, taking off the dark shades and though he saw the eyes glow for a moment, Wesker closed the and the moment blue orbs gazed at him, Chris felt like crying again. Thankfully this time he had no more tears left.

"Chris, you haven´t been sleeping lately..." The past few months, to be precise. And Wesker wasn´t much better off, paler than normally, his chiselled features now truly resembled a marble statue.

"Neither have you it seems..."

"No wonder Jill is so angry with us." They should probably tell her. But that had to wait. Wesker kissed him again and Chris eagerly kissed the man back, his fingers now sliding through the man´s hair. Oh, how he missed being able to mess with the golden strands like this! Chris shuddered with delight and just savoured the moment to the fullest before the need to breathe forced them apart. "Allow me to lock up my office and we can go back... we can go back home."

A pleasant chill ran down his spine at the mention of _home_. He hadn´t been able to think of the B.S.A.A. housing like that. No, home was always where Wesker was. Giving a small nod he did not even move from the spot, unable to, until Wesker returned to his side and reached out to take his hand. Another sensation he had forgotten, yet one that came back immediately.

"Let´s go get your coat. It´s cold outside these days." Chris could only nod, walking as if in a dream. He wasn´t sure how he managed to put his coat on, or when he left and only vaguely he was aware of the heated seats in Wesker´s car. It wasn´t until the apartment door opened and he walked in, snapping out of the daze with a flick of the light.

The door closed behind Wesker and the man locked it, taking his hand as he pulled Chris into the centre of the living room. Nothing at all changed, not even the position of the books or that tiny cactus they had on the shelf, though it looked bigger now. Everything was the same. Letting the man pull him back into his arms, Chris let him, snuggling closer a second later.

_"Welcome home, Chris."_


	28. The sweetest morning

Nothing changed about the apartment at all. It was still pristine, the decorations the same, although once he noticed the pillow and blanket on the couch and questioned their presence there, Wesker was reluctant to answer.

"After you left... I could not sleep in our bed. Not without you. So when I needed to sleep I took to the couch. It wasn´t bad." The man shrugged, gathering the blanket and pillow quickly before Chris´ arms wound around him and he let them drop back to the couch. They could wait. 

"Then let´s... sleep together." At any other time, those words would have another meaning as well, but right now, he truly did mean sleep. They were both exhausted, him perhaps more than Wesker, but even in the older man´s face he could see fatigue.

It took no effort to pull him to the bedroom and seeing the place unchanged made him feel relieved. Though he found one of his shirts on the pillow and quickly put two and two together. Picking it up he set it aside. No more need for that. Stripping down to his underwear he set his phone on the nightstand in the place where he kept it for so long, only different models over the years, and pulled the covers back.

"Feels... weird."

"I know." Wesker was smiling as he set the shades aside, his eyes blue once more, but Chris just shook his head, stepping over to the man and cupped his face, leaning up to kiss him, then softly whispered:

"Not now. You are tired. And... I actually came to love your eyes like this as well. The fact that you are so dangerous, so powerful, but still gentle and loving and only I know that, makes it kinda exhilarating, I guess. I would be a fool not to love them." Pressing another kiss to the man´s lips he stepped back to let him undress and climbed into bed. 

Truly, nothing compared to this feeling and when he felt the mattress dip beside him he automatically moved close to Wesker, strong arms enveloping him in a tight embrace. "Promise me that you won´t vanish when I wake up..." Wesker´s words made his heart ache, but at the same time he hugged onto him even more, burying his face in his chest.

"I promise. No more... idiocy like that. I will never leave you." His heart would not survive another heartbreak like that, he was convinced of that. Lips pressed a kiss into his hair and he sighed, feeling the exhaustion of the past months finally reach him. "I love you... I love you so damn much..."

"I love you too, Chris. Dear Heart... my beautiful Star." Wesker nuzzled him again and Chris smiled, his eyes closing after a moment. He wanted to stay awake, savour this moment for as long as he could, but it was barely a few minutes before his breathing evened out and he fell asleep. And though Wesker might be no longer human, he too, followed him into dreamland soon after.

\---

There was an annoying ringing that kept getting in the way of his dream. Not that he knew what was going on, but Wesker was in it, dressed like a knight and looking incredibly handsome with a giant and impractical sword. But when there were swords, there were no phones. The ringing stopped, then picked up again a moment later and he groaned as dream Wesker began to fade, only to be replaced by the real man, hugging him close, an annoyed frown on his brow.

"Fucking phone..." Chris wanted to ignore it and the best way was to just turn it on silent. Perfect. Grabbing the offending device he snuggled back close, unwilling to even consider the option of waking up and much less leaving the warm embrace and bed. Not even looking who was calling he found the right button and yawned before putting it to his ear.

"Yea?"

"Wesker? Where are you! You told me to come early to look at the new file from Wong and your office is locked!" Jill sounded angry. Lately she did that a lot.

"Hm... Wesker´s asleep, Jill."

"Chris!?" Pulling the phone from his ear before he could be deafened he glared at the phone. Only to realize that instead of his red one he was holding a sleek black device that was almost the same, but not. For one, his phone showed a picture of Jill eating a pizza mid-bite. This one just had her photo from the B.S.A.A. files. "Chris! Is that you? Because I swear-"

"Stop shouting... yea, it´s me." Barely he finished the sentence before a loud, squeal-like sound came from the phone. "I´m hanging up."

"No! Wait! Does this mean you two are back together?" Chris felt annoyed, being so rudely awakened when he wanted to enjoy a calm morning, but Jill was their friend. And she tried to bring them back together all these months... But before he could answer, Wesker took the phone from him, kissing him softly and answered instead.

"Jill, we will reschedule on that meeting since neither Chris nor I will be coming to work today. I will be helping him move back in and we want to spend the day together. We have catching up to do. Thank you for understanding." 

"Wesker? Oh, right, sure. Take the day off. Hell, take the week off! I´ll cover for you!"

"That won´t be necessary as I plan to resume working in my old office. You could probably help with that." Wesker smiled to Chris, playing with his hair and the younger man savoured it. Right, moving all his shit back would probably take a while. Paperwork and whatnot. And later he wanted to cook again, since it has been so long. And just be with the man he loved and without anyone interrupting.

"Sure thing! I´m just so happy I could-" Chris could definitely hear. She seemed to lack an inside voice when angry or excited.

"Jill."

"Yea?"

"No parties." There was a brief pause on the other end.

"... fuck." 

"Bye." Wesker ended the call, turning it on vibrate, just in case there would be a real emergency, then pulled Chris back into his arms where he belonged and closed his eyes. But Chris could not sleep any longer. Instead he watched Wesker, reaching out to play with his hair. Nobody else ever got to see him like this. Hair a mess, sleepy and almost naked. When was the first time he considered the man to be perfection?

\---

"That´s really not anything at all. You weren´t lying." Wesker set the box with clothes down to the other two. Chris just shrugged, already going through the things to put them back where they always belonged. He didn´t bother buying anything new since he practically lived on missions and in his office. "I´ll put these away then." Bringing the box of clothes to the bedroom, the blond man seemed to take pleasure in putting things where they were meant to be.

Signing out of the B.S.A.A. housing was much quicker than he thought it would be. Apparently the process usually took a week, but one glare from Wesker hastened the process, shortening it to mere minutes. Packing up was somewhat strange. The unused apron he found in the closet back home had lines from how long it laid there and he immediately spread it out, staring at it.

"I remember the first time I tried cooking... I still have that book, but I memorized all the recipes. And improved on some since they were a bit bland. Calling Claire to ask how a sauce is made. And you taught me how to cut things without accidentally nicking myself." He felt Wesker move behind him, arms around his waist pulling him close as the man set his chin onto his shoulder.

"That was also when I learned that being subtle was not going to work. You always did look fantastic wearing that." Lips kissed his cheek and Chris smiled. He was definitely going to cook later. Turning around in the embrace he pulled the older man into a deep kiss. It felt so unreal, yet he knew he was not dreaming. Which reminded him.

"I had a dream before. You were a knight. Had this really cool black armour and a giant sword." Saying it like this made it ridiculous, but he didn´t care. Wesker´s raised brow made him chuckle instead and he pulled away to finish on the cookbooks, placing them back on the shelf where they belonged. Why he took them along, he had no idea.

"If I was the knight, does that make you my princess? Or rather my liege whom I swore to always protect?" 

"Princess?" Chris whipped around, staring at the man in shock. To even consider that was ridiculous! "No way!"

"I don´t know. You would look good in a dress." Wesker was smirking now, looking him slowly over, that burning gaze almost like a caress that made Chris shudder. But before he could argue the man was in front of him, pulling him close and kissed him hard to make his head spin. He never did get to say anything at all in the end, the two barely making it to the bedroom.

\---

Chris could not stop smiling as he stirred the pasta so it would not stick to the pot and turned his attention to the mushrooms. He felt sore and his body had more marks on it than ever before and he knew it would be impossible to hide them, so he would not even try. Let them all see. Satisfied with how the food was turning out he switched his attention to the wine they bought earlier. Grocery shopping together at the usual market felt so homely, though they had to get more stuff since the fridge was yawning with emptiness. 

Wesker was calmly watching him, his own torso showing a few marks that Chris managed to leave behind. Everything seemed to be back to normal, as though the past months were just a nightmare that never was actually real. And for a while longer they intended to treat it like that. Talks could wait, emotional admissions and apologies even longer than the talks.

"I used to wish years ago that I could take a photo of you like this and not have to wait for it to develop on film." Wesker was staring at his phone now and Chris walked over, blinking as he found an image of himself in an apron and cartoon-guitar patterned boxers cooking. And another of him putting away books. Another of him packing, bent over the bed to retrieve something. And another of him asleep in Wesker´s arms. At least he didn´t take any earlier.

"Starting a collection?" Teasing him he snatched the phone from his hand, pulling the man close and angled the phone just enough to get them both in the frame. He hit the button once, then kissed the man and hit it again. He handed the device over before checking how it turned out and hurried back to the pasta. "Almost done."

"You will never cease to amaze me, Chris." When he looked at the man again, Wesker was smiling, the same smile he only ever gave Chris. Happy. The man was happy. And Chris missed seeing that smile. 

\---

Coming back to work on Thursday, since they took one more day off after all, felt somewhat strange. Wesker drove them, holding Chris´ hand the whole time and did not give a damn who saw them or what they thought. Neither did Chris, of course, but he was more aware of the stares and knew that the news would spread quickly.

At least no one would try hitting on Wesker. 

"I missed being able to visit you at your office. Even though you complain all the time that I distract you from actually working." And yet, Wesker never tried to get him to leave or stop.

"You distract me just by being on my mind. Shall we see if Jill did anything and how much work is left for us to do?"

"Sure. We can stop by my office later. Or have lunch at hers and explain everything. I guess we kinda owe her an explanation..." Chris still appreciated how happy she was for them Seeing the familiar door that remained closed the past months he watched Wesker´s gloved hand open the door and he eagerly followed him inside.

"Took you long enough!" The shout made him wince, but even more than that he watched colourful confetti slowly rain down from the ceiling and on top of their heads.

"Jill. I told you no parties."

"You said nothing about confetti though. And it´s not a party. It´s a fucking celebration of my two favourite stubborn idiots getting back together at last!" She was smiling at them before giving them both a tight hug, squeezing harder than necessary, but Chris accepted it as some kind of weird punishment. "I´m just happy."

"Thank you." Chris hugged her back with one arm, still refusing to let go of Wesker´s hand just yet.

"I see you managed to move everything back into its original place." Wesker spoke in an impressed tone, looking around. The shelves were full of his research and mission files, his desk arranged the way he preferred it and even the computer screen appeared to be angled. Everything was back the way it was before he switched offices.

"Of course. Took me almost all day, too. But I had help." She winked at them and Chris wondered who this help was, but he would find out eventually. For now they just sat down as she made coffee, coming back to yell at them for making out with Chris on the desk. "At least close the damn door!"

Some things would never change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for less updates, but university is getting in the way. On Sunday I should be able to finally update more, because there is still more to come.


	29. Ghosts of the past

They were late and both knew it well, but only Wesker looked as calm as ever, walking alongside Chris with his long strides, seemingly uncaring that Jill would be pissed off again. It was to be expected. The meeting started ten minutes ago and they were otherwise engaged until now, mostly thanks to Wesker refusing to let go and the two of them having to clean up. At least he got the man to use condoms to avoid an even bigger mess. Tugging his shirt down he made sure he looked presentable, as if the rest of the team wouldn´t already know what transpired and looked at Wesker as the man smoothed his already perfect hair back. One day, Chris would find out his secret to always looking so damn good.

The room was dark as Jill stood in the front, presenting the latest findings from Edonia. But the moment the beam of light from the open door interrupted, all eyes were on the two newcomers and Chris stared ahead rather stubbornly, taking a seat while Wesker calmly took the one beside him.  
"Took you two long enough." Jill commented, then turned back to the slideshow.

"This is the area map that is currently suffering the most. Though it was the civil unrests that began the war, both sides took to employing B.O.W. obtained on the black market as well as mercenaries. Some of them are highly skilled and might cause problems down the line. The orders are to remove the hostages trapped in the City Hall and locate the subject. His location is... unknown, as of right now, but we have reliable information that a US Agent is looking for him as well. We need to find him first."

Jill looked around and when no questions came, she turned to the next slide, showing a video of the civil unrests, masked men yelling in an unknown language that Chris didn't recognize. But he recognized the form one took when his arm was shot off ad swallowed. Not this again. It wasn´t that long ago that he came back from what he had to deal with in Singapore.

"We don´t know who is the one responsible for this new virus mutation or how. Our samples are limited and Wesker hasn´t been yet able to find the cause or create an antivirus that would work as a vaccine or a serum. Be on your guard." Chris saw his lover frown. They only had a few samples and for barely a month and he had been determined to find a solution. Nothing so far.

The door opened again, another beam of light coming inside, but instead of heavy boots the delicate sound of heels echoing. "I got you something new, but you won´t like it." Ada Wong came and went as she pleased and by now Jill made sure she had some clearance. But instead of walking forward, she handed a file and a small chip to Wesker. "Just don´t blame me for it. I´ll see you later if I find something new. Bye." She winked, one of the men in the room staring with a dreamy expression after her while Wesker glared at the file, opening it.

"Wesker?" The man stood up, walking to the front and handed the chip to Jill whom immediately inserted it into her laptop. A new image filled the screen, a small video clip of a young man in dark clothes shooting at something off-screen. "What is this..."

"The target, but I don´t see what is so special about him." Wesker leaned against a desk, going through the file before focusing on the short clip. There was nothing special about the kid from what he could tell. He could be around eighteen, a strange shadow on his face, but from this angle he couldn´t tell anything more.

"Wait... this isn´t all." Jill changed the clip to a more detailed information sheet and Chris froze. Familiar blue eyes stared at him from the screen, features he was intimately familiar with looking strange on someone else. "Wesker-"

_"What the hell is this!?"_ His voice echoed in the room as he gripped the desk, the wood snapping in half.

"Jake Muller... twenty years old... Edonia... mother, deceased. Father, unknown. Antibodies... Wesker, he looks like-"

_"Don´t you dare say it!"_ His voice shook the whole room and Chris could see his eyes glowing behind the shades. Immediately he looked through the file in his hand, the wrinkled pages shaking. No, his hands were shaking as he found what he was looking for. "Mother... a pianist... ill, died several years ago... visited America some twenty years ago-no, it can´t... this can´t be!"

"Wesker-"

"It can´t!!" Jill snatched the file from the man before he could tear it into pieces and looked at the face on the screen. The same features, hair shaved down, the angry glare of blue eyes. Her eyes met Chris´ for a moment and she sighed. Immediately the man stood up and rushed to the blond´s side, but remained cautious. Right now no one could be sure what was happening to him.

"Dismissed. You will all receive another briefing tomorrow. Piers, stay here." Chris watched as the others left the room without a word, obeying their captain and for once he was glad to have such authority. Piers stayed, staring at the projected image as he read about the man. 

"A mercenary for hire. He´s skilled." But there wasn´t enough information to go on. Meanwhile Jill turned to her laptop again, pulling up a photo of Wesker and overlaid it over the one of the young man. They fit nearly perfectly. "So he´s..."

"My _son_." Wesker fell to his knees and Chris was right beside him, hugging him close. 

Wesker had a son!? Chris knew about the woman, but from what he heard, the man was sterile thanks to the progenitor virus. But that couldn´t be true. Jake was... just like him. He looked just like Wesker. The same scowl, the same chiselled jaw and most of all, those blue eyes that bore into him. Antibodies... the target was Jake Muller. He was the one they were supposed to recover!

"Wesker-"

"I´m going to Edonia."

"I expected no less. Just... give us time to prepare. We cannot rush in, alright? Minimize all risks. Just leave everything to me. Go home with Chris, I will send you the files. But right now, you are in no state to-" Jill stopped talking when Wesker slowly stood up, a strange darkness surrounding him.

"I´m going now."

"No, you´re not!" Wesker looked surprised when Chris spoke to him like that, but the man was staring right at him. "In this state, you are likely to mess up. We´re letting Jill and Piers plan everything out. You know how they both work and nobody is going to be more anal about the details now that we know whom we are after. And we will find him, Wesker. But not with you rampaging through the world to get to him." Wesker recognized the voice. Chris "Captain" voice that he used so rarely. It was still effective, even on him.

"Chris is right. I will help Jill and you two head home. Besides, if he´s anything like you, he can wait a while longer." Chris nodded, glad that Piers and Wesker now got along. Having the fact that they both cared about Chris in common helped, though Wesker made sure to show the other man that he was off limits.

"...I want all information sent to me before I get home with Chris." Wesker stood no chance. Piers was not afraid of him, Chris was using his Captain voice and Jill was... Jill. Seeing him give in, Chris sighed and took his hand, once more looking at the photo of the two faces overlaid. It made him shudder to see someone who looked like the man he loved, but oddly enough, he felt no attraction towards Jake Muller.

"You´ll have it. Just go now, alright? Let us handle things." Wesker nodded and allowed Chris to lead him out of the room. The rest of the team was nowhere to be seen at least and Chris did not hesitate to grab the car keys from Wesker´s office along with their coats. They barely came to work and already had to leave.

A part of him wasn´t sure how they got home so quickly, but he didn´t care at all, leading Wesker to the couch, the man seemingly dazed. No wonder there! He just found out that the woman whom he once cared for was dead and that he fathered a son! The kid was twenty now... 

"I have a son. Chris, I have a son and I never even... why did she never say something? She knew my name, where I work. She should have been able to contact me when she found out!" Wesker grabbed his collar, forcing Chris to look at him before he let go and sank onto the couch, burying his face in his hands. "All these years... decades..."

"Wesker..." What could he say? There was nothing and all he was able to do was once more embrace the man, aware of the wetness that soon soaked into his shirt. It was so rare for Wesker to be this emotional over anything, the last time being... Chris knew exactly when. When they got back together almost a year ago. The memory still haunted him, the time apart dreadful. And now his lover was suffering again.

"Why didn´t she tell me. She had to have know before she went back to Edonia that she was..." Wesker´s fingers gripped onto his shirt so tightly he thought he heard it tear.

"I don´t know why... but she might have had her reasons. We won´t... find out, I´m sorry, Wesker. I´m so sorry. But... you have a son. Isn´t that good news?" He tried to sound cheerful about it, but somehow even he failed

"Good news? Chris, after twenty years, the child most probably hates me and has every right to. No, not even a child. He´s a man. I wasn´t there all his life and I doubt... I know he has no interest in meeting me now. Look at me... I just found out I have a kid and already... think about meeting him. A grown man." Chris didn´t know what to say, but soon realized that there was nothing he could possibly put into words that would help.

Jake Muller´s mother never sought out Wesker again, even as she fell ill. And the son himself didn´t either, which meant he didn´t know who his father was. Albert Wesker. The man who died and came back so many times it terrified Chris just to think about it. But this wasn´t about him. He had to make sure his lover would be fine, that he would cool his head and be ready to head to Edonia with the Alpha team.

For now he just held him, letting Wesker cling to him and cry, even though the sight of those tears broke his heart. By the time the older man pulled away, probably having ran out of tears to shed, he was reaching for the laptop on the table, looking for the info that Jill said she would send. "I´m going to make some coffee, alright?" Chris pressed a gentle kiss to the man´s temple, glancing to the screen to see blue eyes glaring back. 

He really had no doubt Jake _was_ Wesker´s son.

But a part of him was strangely happy. He still recalled the moment years ago when Wesker thought he was created, manufactured, not human in the first place and that he was all alone. Even though Chris was right there and Jill as well, the man was caught in despair. Now he had a son. And neither of them were at fault about not knowing, but Chris had to resist the urge to place some blame on the woman. If she had said anything... thing would have been much different.

"There isn´t a lot of information... he had worked as a mercenary, a soldier of fortune... since he was fifteen? That is too young! Earn the money for his mother´s treatment... she died a year later. Before that he did various jobs... underground scene..." Wesker frowned for a moment and Chris didn´t like it. Underground scene sounded like something that had to do with the black market, drugs, that kind of thing. "Apparently a master of close quarters combat." 

"Just like his father. I wouldn´t be surprised to see he´s excellent with guns as well." Chris brought their mugs over, setting them on the table as he leaned back and watched Wesker go over the information provided on his son. A few short clips, shots of Jake in action mostly, one of him relaxing. He was so much like Wesker it was scary.

"I cannot believe this. Twenty years, Chris. For twenty years there was a boy of my blood running out there in this awful world and I didn´t know..." Wesker stared at the screen, Jake´s face staring back at him, then closed the laptop and set it aside, rubbing his face with his hands. He looked fatigued and older, almost close to his age, Chris noticed, but at least he was calm now. "Twenty years... "

"We´ll see how things go soon enough. Until then, it would be best not to think of how things can go, right? For now just... I don´t even know what to do." Chris felt a familiar hand stroke his hair and leaned into Wesker, closing his eyes for a moment. Sometimes he still felt like the rookie cop trying to impress his Captain all the time. "We can go over maps and past files and-"

"It´s fine, Chris. I think... it will be for the best not to do that. I have yet to fully process and accept this information." Chris gave a nod, understanding that reasoning. Not that he stopped being worried. "He doesn´t know who his father is, which makes me wonder why she never told him."

"Tell me about her?" It was a question, not a request, and Wesker nodded after a while, taking the mug of hot coffee and stared at it.

"She was... a piano player. I saw her during official functions for Umbrella. Her music was beautiful. Not the same as the masterpieces you hear, but full of life and gentle. It was fascinating to watch her. Bright red hair, a modest black dress. Then one evening, one of the drunken officials was bothering her. So I removed him from the room, rather physically as well. I intended to leave, but we began to talk. Not that we could do that for long since she was working and I was there as an Umbrella employee." Wesker smiled briefly, perhaps considering this one of the good memories that came from Umbrella.

"We started seeing each other more often, then even outside of these functions. Although it has taken me a few months to ask her on a proper date. We spoke so much... I told her as much as I could without telling her the truth and it felt like I was lying to her and maybe she knew. Maybe that was the reason why she left, why she never told our son who his father is. We have been, dating, I think is the correct term, for about a year when she suddenly said she had to go back to Edonia. Her visa was running out. Of course, the obvious choice was there and I considered it, but by the time I made a decision to ask, she was gone." Wesker´s hands tightened around the mug. 

"I tried to find her. So many times I tried, flew to Edonia to search for her, but I never saw her again. I thought I would not love another person ever again, but then you entered my life a few years later." Chris flushed. The story of how Wesker met Jake´s mother was lovely and yet sad, but to be put on the same level?

"If she knew that you worked for Umbrella, maybe they... maybe they threatened her to leave. It´s something they would do." Something Spencer would do. The same man who told Wesker that love is a flaw and emotions are overrated. Chris was determined to go through the archives they had full of the recovered information and books and files on Umbrella and find something. But at a later date.

"I considered it, but when I confronted those who had the power to do so, they knew nothing. And I know nothing of our child. I wonder what he will say when he finds out." 

"We don´t know." Chris interrupted quickly before Wesker could start to consider the possibilities. "But we will find out, I promise." Lips gently touched his and he stared into the glowing eyes. This was another thing to consider. How would Jake feel about his father being no longer just human? 

And how would be think about him dating another man?


	30. Taking out the trash

Chris knew that the matter was serious when Wesker did not protest to the standard B.S.A.A. uniform. The man was now a part of team Alpha, a helmet at his side to cover his face with. Chris argued that part of the outfit, but Wesker calmly explained that being recognized was the worst thing that could happen. He wanted to observe, judge the situation and most importantly, see the man his son became before revealing his presence. Chris had no choice but to give in.

Now they were in the middle of what was at one point a lovely square for sure. The architecture of what remained unbroken suggested so. But the newly created mutant, J´avo, as they were called, were all over the place. Unlike the zombies they encountered before, these were sentient and Chris hated that they also wielded weaponry with far more skill than just a normal zombie did before. Listening to commands, working together... Chris hated this new virus.

And Wesker did as well. Although dressed as one of the normal B.S.A.A. operatives, he refrained from using a gun. Instead he strode right into the fray, tearing through them and Chris didn´t doubt he was working out the frustrations he felt since a few days ago when he found out about Jake. The J´avo did not stand a chance when faced with a man like Wesker and Chris just stopped trying to give him orders. It was easier this way.

They had another task though. Ranking officials were holed up in the City Hall and they had to find and rescue them. A simple task really, but with the J´avo running around it was more annoying than anything. 

"This is the map of the area. The City Hall is not far, just be careful. The J´avo are relentless and you have seen how they mutate. Go for the head. That´s your best shot." Or used to, before the heads began to mutate somehow as well. Wesker stood there, helmet in hand, fixing his hair in annoyance, eyes glowing since he was no longer wearing his shades. "Keep an eye out for any civilians and lead them to safety. Bravo is on standby. Piers?"

"The emergency call came from deep into the City Hall. There are mercenaries mixed in with the J´avo and fighting them, but they aren´t friendly either. Keep an eye out for this man." The map changed to show the photo of a young man, distorted on the uneven ground. "Jake Muller. A mercenary and our main target. Keep him alive at any cost." The men nodded and Chris could see Wesker stare at the photo before looking away.

"Another party of idiots." The man cracked his knuckles before taking a few steps, then grunting in annoyance and replaced the helmet onto his head. Back into the fray, using his hands to get rid of the J´avo, taking them out with terrifying ease. It took only a moment and Chris barely got a shot in when he saw two figures emerge in the back of another building.

"Sherry Birkin - National Security." Chris saw Wesker freeze. Birkin. The name of his best friend from so long ago, the man who made the serum that saved his life and made him into what he was today. And his daughter... it was impressive. But his attention was elsewhere a second later.

_Jake Muller._

He looked just like on the file and Chris shuddered. He watched Wesker stare at him from behind the helmet, the dark visor providing him with a good cover. But seeing him alive and well made the older man relax somewhat. Though Jake got nowhere close to them, keeping away.

"So you´re the agent they sent? Claire mentioned you went down the same line as Kennedy, though I didn´t expect to find you here."

"Claire? Wait... are you Chris?"

"Yea. And she told me all about you. Along with someone else." He glanced to Wesker, but the man remained standing in one spot, staring at his son.

"And that is..." Chris nodded towards Jake as the young man brushed dust off his arm, over the spider patch on his jacket

"Yes, but he´s under the protection of the US Government now. He´s no threat to the B.S.A.A."

"Not unless someone pays me to be..." There was a faint chuckle-like sound and Chris knew it came from Wesker. And Jake noticed that, too, staring at him before pushing himself off the ruined car and stepping forward.

"You got a problem?"

"Jake-"

"HQ to Alpha! We have a giant B.O.W. coming your way!" Chris looked up, cursing as he saw exactly what they meant. And then he saw Wesker getting ready to deal with it his way and grabbed him by the shoulder, pulling him back.

"If you do that, he´ll ask questions. Do you want that?" He was honestly asking now and after a moment, Wesker shook his head, taking out his handgun and sighed. Such a pathetic weapon compared to his own power, but he was fine with that.

"We´ll give you a hand with that."

"No, you will not! Stand back and don´t get in the way!" Wesker´s voice came distorted from the helmet and he felt Jake glaring at him. And Sherry looked offended for some reason. The blond man looked away from the two and Jake snorted.

"You think you can do shit with that? Now this I gotta see." Chris watched him smirk and felt a chill run down his spine. Even the smirk was the same as he recalled. He was so much like his father... But he wasn´t there as Wesker´s lover. Or at least not just like that. He had his team to lead and once he composed himself he stepped forward, assuming his best Captain voice.

"Enough arguing! We take that thing down, then continue this!" It worked. Wesker looked at him, at least he assumed the man did, and Jake and Sherry did the same. "You can help, but stay close. Both of you. Piers?"

"We need to take out the anti-aircraft guns stationed around the area as well as the giant B.O.W." It was moving slowly, tearing through a building to get to the square. Chris´ attention was drawn to Jake as the man pulled out a dangerous-looking gun and calmly began to walk towards a building.

"Always something with these shitheads... I better get paid for this." 

\---

"Are you sure about this?" Finally there was some silence at the square. All B.O.W. and J´avo in the area eliminated. Chris and everyone else was really impressed to see Jake jump on top of the monster and tear something out of its back. And then Sherry did the same to the other one that appeared. The two made a good team. It made Wesker probably wonder...

"Yea, we´ll be fine, I promise. Chris, are you still... are you still dating him?"

"Yes, we´re still together. I´m surprised you know about it."

_"Claire."_

"Of course. One day..." Chris shook his head gently and smiled. "Yea, we´re still together and happy. He´ll be impressed to hear that you became an agent, Sherry."

"Yea, dad talked a lot about him. Anyway, I think we should go. Jake-"

"Hold on there. Hey, you! Why don´t you take that helmet off? All this time you were staring at me, so show your fucking face." Jake stood toe to toe with Wesker, staring straight at him. The same height, Chris noted. And he saw Sherry look worried. She _knew_! Of course she did... that was why she didn´t say Wesker´s name.

"Hey, knock it off and get on your plane!" Piers to the rescue, stepping forward to stare at Jake and the height difference did not even seem to matter as they glared at each other.

"Tch, you all jarheads all look the same, anyway." Chris held his arm up before Piers could take another step forward and waved to Sherry as the two boarded the B.S.A.A. plane. Wesker´s eyes never left Jake and the moment the plane finally lifted he took the helmet off, breathing a sigh of relief.

"He´s just like you." Chris gave the men a break for a few minutes and walked to his lover, brushing his hair from his face. That stuffy helmet did a number on his hair. "Looks, eyes, even height and attitude are the same. Not to mention his skills." 

"I like to think I am more refined. But I have to agree about the skills he displayed." Chris leaned in to kiss him, glad that the first meeting went rather well. He had been worried about what might happen.

"We´re still not done here, but after this we are going back and you can finally talk to him. Explain. And whatever happens... we will find out. But he seems rather level-headed. I think everything will be fine." Chris kissed him again, gently pecking his lips before pulling away. Wesker put the helmet back on and sighed, adjusting it while Chris called the men back.

"Proceed to the City Hall. Stay on your guard though. There might still be something inside." 

The building was one of the few that still stood, the thick walls withstanding the damage caused by the civil war. Entering it, Chris listened for any sounds. "Keep away from the chrysalids..." 

"We could smash them as a precaution, but I assume shattering one will rouse others." Wesker observed one, tempted to obtain a sample from one of them, but it had to wait. Piers went up ahead, testing the doors, but they remained locked.

"Captain?"

"We need to find a key. Stay together, look for survivors." Chris lead the way, acting as the Captain he was. The first few rooms yielded nothing and he found himself questioning if anyone was there at all.

"I´ll take the other wing, Chris. We can search the place quickly like that." Chris gave a nod to Wesker and the man vanished. He needed no assistance and at least they were connected through their earpieces. And he knew Wesker could work alone. He trusted the man.

He moved to the next room with Alpha, the ground littered with the empty syringes. He had seen these all over Edonia lately and samples were already gathered.

"C-Virus. That´s what the guerrillas were calling it." Within seconds all guns were pointed at a young woman in a long dress. Somehow, her attire didn´t fit in with the cold outside. "Nice to see the cavalry´s here." When she stepped out into the light, Chris froze.

Ada Wong? 

No... something was off. He had seen Ada before and she had seen him. She would have recognized him, but this woman didn´t. Yet looked exactly the same as Ada. And Piers seemed to share his thoughts, having seen the secretive agent before.

"Who are you?" Guns still on her, Chris did not trust her one bit.

"I work here. My name´s Ada Wong." It wasn´t. And Chris knew that, but that didn´t look like a mask. "They held me hostage." Fuck that, nothing could hold Ada Wong hostage from what he heard about the woman.

"C-Virus... that´s what must be creating those J´avo." Chris looked at the empty vial.

"Yeah, I heard them saying something about that." Heard whom? Chris didn´t trust this woman one bit.

"What else did you hear?" Piers was glaring at her.

"Maybe you could put your guns down first?" She lowered her arms, taking two steps before all guns were on her once more. He trained his men well.

"Not until you give us a reason to." This was not Ada Wong. And whoever this woman was, Chris knew she was trouble. He had to tell Wesker somehow, but the man was off somewhere, probably taking out the chrysalids in the lobby at the same time. Because it was something he would do.

 _"Neo-Umbrella."_ Well, fuck.

"Neo-Umbrella?" If it was what it sounded like, things were going to be really bad.

"The organization supporting the guerrillas. Or at least I think that´s what they were calling themselves." And Chris could easily imagine what an organization that would take the name of Umbrella would be involved in. This was... a lot like what happened before Raccoon City became a ghost town.

"So the C-Virus came from them."

"That´s all I know." What a fucking liar. He wanted to shoot her right in the face and he saw Piers´ fingers twitch from the corner of his eyes, but the sniper was equally composed.

"Thank you. We appreciate your cooperation." She lowered her arms with an annoyed look. "Finn. You´re in charge of keeping her safe." He trusted Finn to handle her. 

"Yes, sir."

"Keep an eye on her." Whispering to Piers, Chris watched the two men walk over to her and reached for his headpiece.

"We´ve found one of the staff. Returning to the foyer now." He heard Wesker grunt a reply, something about having cleared it out and samples and waiting there. And he wished he could warn the man, but there was no way to do that. For now he lead his team and the imposter back to the main hall where Wesker was waiting, kneeling over the remains of a chrysalid.

"Oh, what happened here? Last I recall these were all... solid." Imposter Ada´s voice made Wesker stand up and immediately he tensed. But before he could do anything, Chris stepped forward.

"My men are experts at what they do. Please, don´t interrupt the operation. Come on."

He walked in the front, Wesker right beside him now, once more holding a gun as to not raise suspicion. Walking to the second floor she walked to one of the heavy doors, hitting a panel to the side and it slowly opened. "This way."

"Chris, who is that?"

"Someone who looks like Ada. But is not Ada. Can´t be her, right?"

"Not at all. She´s currently taking care of something back in New York." Wesker kept glaring at the woman´s back as they moved forward. This was a trap of sorts and when Chris whispered to him about Neo-Umbrella he watched the man tense. "I won´t let her get away with this... any of this." 

When they reached what appeared to be a large storage, Chris saw more of those chrysalids, but before he could give any command he saw Wesker move. The first one was shattered before hatching, but the second one yielded a bipedal monstrosity. They opened fire, but he could see the woman now stare at the masked man with a strange look.

"Now that was... impressive." She clapped even and Wesker glared through the visor, then took out his phone. The area was clear. Chris stepped away from her, walking around until they found a door that lead out. Wesker was calling someone... and Chris had a good idea who it was.

"We´re almost out." Entering the next room he frowned. Something was off about it. This was no longer the city hall, but some kind of storage facility that lead who knew where, but the map of the area showed an exit up ahead. They could easily make it without any problems.

"You know, Ada, I was surprised that you treat Chris so coldly. After all, you two seemed to get along before." Wesker´s voice came distorted from the helmet once more and the woman turned around

"I beg your pardon?"

"No idea what you mean. We always got along with Chris, isn´t that right? Even back when he took care of you in Raccoon City." A voice came from the phone and Wesker held it out, the image of Ada Wong, amused as she stared straight at her doppelganger smirking from the screen. "And you know I have better fashion sense than to wear purple and red like that. Such terrible choices." The screen went black and Chris watched as the imposter took a step back.

"How-"

"This Neo-Umbrella... really should have done their research." Wesker took the helmet off, tossing it aside at last and smoothed his hair back before burning eyes fixed on the woman.

_"Wesker!?"_

"The one and only." Until recently, when he found out he had a son, Chris thought, but this was neither the time nor the place. "And you, are not Ada Wong."

"Would you believe I am her long-lost twin sister?" Wesker´s face showed no amusement and once more all guns were pointed at her. "Very well then, thanks for the escort, but I have something else to take care of now-" She took a step back, towards the exit door, reaching behind her for something, but Wesker was already there, grabbing her arm and pulled her back.

"You´re not going anywhere!" Something fell from her hand, a ball of sorts and Chris heard her cry out NO before the ball opened, needles all over it. 

_"Get down!"_ The men obeyed, but one remained standing, shielding them the best he could with his own body. "Wesker!"

Watching the man fall to the ground felt like a bad slow-motion video. A few of the needles embedded themselves in his neck, the rest falling off his gear and gloved hands as he shielded his face, but Chris could see two as the man fell. Briefly he glanced to the woman, watching her writhe and foam at the mouth, chest riddled with needles. 

Fuck her.

"Wesker!" Quickly he rushed to his lover, pulling the needles out. Unlike her, Wesker appeared fine, but he was already infected with something else. Maybe he would shake it off and be just fine. "Piers, is everyone-"

"We´re fine, Captain! How is he?"

"Unconscious... we need to get him out." So the C-Virus was powerful enough to even render a man like Albert Wesker unconscious like this. Chris did not hesitate to just pick him up, terrified, but more composed than he would be a few years ago. He knew better than anyone what Wesker was capable of.

"Captain, Ada, the woman is-" Piers didn´t get to finish as a terrible screech echoed in the room and Chris hastily moved out of the way of some strange substance. Not a chrysalid. She was something far worse and disgusting.

"We´ll take care of her. Go!" Piers pushed him out of the way, towards the exit and Chris stared at him for a moment. He rushed to the end, then set his precious charge down, checking Wesker´s vitals. Still there.

"Don´t you dare vanish on me again or I will never forgive you." Lightly he pressed his lips to the man´s forehead. "But I can´t abandon them. You taught me this a long time ago, Captain." Chris smiled and stood up. Wesker was safe here. Now to deal with Ada Wrong.


	31. Kiss from a prince

It was déjà-vu all over again. Wesker standing in the way to protect him, taking the blow and ending up hurt. Only this time, he was unconscious for far longer. Almost a month now. 29 days, 10 hours and some minutes, Chris failed to count those lately, but the first two weeks he hadn´t stopped until Jill punched some sense into him. It helped, but not with Wesker. The man remained unconscious, his vital signs monitored properly, the steady beeping the only sound in the room. Chris hadn´t moved since he came in that morning.

He knew the exact time, of course. One of the damn needles hit Wesker´s watch, shattering it and it has been frozen since. A month. A month since Wesker took a high dose of the virus to protect the Alpha team and collapsed. Chris did more than take his anger out on the woman responsible. Not a shred of her was left after the place was burned down, he saw to that. And ever since he waited for his lover to wake up from this strange coma. 

"Hey. No changes?" Jill did not even bother knocking as she walked in, setting a large styrofoam cup of coffee beside the bed along with a bag of something that probably smelled good, but Chris thought that everything tasted like cardboard. He only ate because he had to, drank because he had to.

"Nothing. How´s Jake?"

"Surprisingly reasonable. I think because of Sherry. Both went through a lot. The vaccine should be almost ready, too, so maybe that will help." Jill walked to the bed, reaching out to smooth back Wesker´s hair. "Maybe a kiss from a prince?"

"Tried that..." Chris muttered, demurely staring into his coffee. "Didn´t work. Piers?"

"Probably fighting with Jake somewhere. After Jake and Sherry got out of the cave and were attacked, Piers and Alpha team showed up. He´s quite the leader you know. But Jake didn´t appreciate the rescue and the two end up fighting whenever they meet. People are making bets." Jill walked to the window, letting some air in for the moment. 

"He would make a great Captain." Chris could only nod, but he was aware that the sniper would argue and fight him on that, rather a part of a team than a leader. "I´ve been neglecting the B.S.A.A.-"

"And the B.S.A.A. and anyone who matters understand, so don´t worry, Chris." Jill walked back to the bed, standing behind Chris, squeezing at his shoulder. "He´ll be fine. Just his boy fighting the virus since it is so new, probably needs a while. Maybe a vaccine will help accelerate the process." 

"It should. That´s why I brought it over." The voice from the doorway made Chris stand up. 

_"Jake-"_

"I knew there was something odd about the guy in the helmet. His equipment didn´t match yours, for one. Anyway." Jake stared at the bed for a moment, walking over to Chris and handed him a small box. "Tested and ready for distribution. No idea what it will do with him, since my blood is basically... his." Blue eyes narrowed and he stared at Wesker. "He´s got a lot of explaining to do once he wakes up."

"You´re more calm than I thought you would be." Jill was smiling for some reason and the mercenary just shrugged. 

"That Puppy talks a lot about what Wesker did. And you both. Like some kind of badly designed trio of superheroes or something. But his endless chatter helped. Along with what I found in the B.S.A.A: archives on all of you." Jake continued to stare at his father, but the frown never left his face. 

"Archives? How did you-those are under lock and key for a reason!" 

"Get a better lock then. I broke the last one." Another casual shrug as Jake nodded to Chris. "Might want to try that now." Chris let the archives go, aware that Jill definitely did not, and opened the box, staring at the simple serum that laid inside. A vaccine to the C-Virus. A month in the making, the data Wesker gathered used as base whereas Jake´s blood was the missing solution he needed. His son´s blood.

His hands were steady as he reached out, but hesitated just a second before administering the serum. A part of him expected a miracle, Wesker would open his eyes and everything would go back to normal. But he knew that wasn´t going to happen. Instead he just sighed and sat down again.

"I´m gonna leave you three alone. Nivans is waiting outside with Sherry and if he starts hitting on her I´m kicking his ass back to Edonia." Jake looked from Chris to Jill, then to Wesker and lingered on the man for a while, then silently left the hospital room.

"He´s more mature than I thought." Chris whispered, his attention all on Wesker again. No change, but only a minute passed after all. "I thought he would be angry. But even a month ago he was... strangely composed."

_-29 days and 3 hours ago-_

"I need him to land right here and I don´t give a fuck how he does it! Now!" Chris yelled into the radio again and receive silence in response. It has been hours and still nothing and he was running out of what little patience he had left. How much longer? He stayed with Wesker in a cleared out area, trying to get the man to wake up, talking to him over and over again, shaking him, yelled at him to open his eyes and move. Nothing worked.

"Captain! How is he?" Piers was coming back. He appointed him to lead the rest of Alpha to the mountains where a report of a crashed helicopter came. And since no remains were found, he had been tasked with finding Jake and Sherry. Seeing as he was asking about Wesker, it apparently went well.

"He´s not waking up." Aware of how desperate he sounded, Chris just felt relieved that he was not crying. Not any longer at least. Standing up he froze, aware that he was staring straight at Jake Muller, but the young man was looking past him, straight at Wesker.

"So this is him, huh?" The words could not have been colder. "Too bad he isn´t awake but I can wait until later to punch him for what he had done to my mother." Chris didn´t move, not even when the blue eyes slid from Wesker and stared at him. And he knew that Jake was aware of his relationship with the man from the way his eyes narrowed as he stared at him. "Will he be fine?"

"I don´t know."

"He better be then. Because he has a lot of explaining to do. Twenty years worth, I would say. Hey, Supergirl..." Jake went off to talk to Sherry and Chris wasn´t sure whether to feel angry or relieved. Piers kept an eye on the two while he once more attended to Wesker until the military plane finally began to land. This was going to be a long flight.

_-Present-_

Chris fell asleep sometime after 2 in the morning. The coffee was doing nothing to keep him awake and he felt exhausted. Jill left after about an hour, calling later to see if anything changed and to remind Chris to eat, but he wasn´t in the mood. And she knew he lied about doing so earlier and said nothing.

Holding Wesker´s hand he slept, dreaming of the moment the man would wake up. Dreaming that the vaccine worked a miracle and he would wake up. That the strange mix of blood and who knew what else would save his life. Jake´s blood could save the world, but Chris needed Wesker. Because more often than not, he had to shamefully admit that the man was his world. 

He hated hospitals. Always so white and pristine and smelled of fake cleanliness and sterile to the point where his eyes hurt. The private room was not that bad, but still he could smell it. Just like back at S.T.A.R.S. where he stared at his Captain as he laid there. That was the first moment he had seen his eyes, too. That amazing blue hue that drew him in so many times after that.

There was a gentle touch in his hair and he leaned into it. It was familiar and warm and he smiled. Dreams offered such wonderful comfort. The fingertips bushed over his ear, tickling him, then played with the short strands, making a mess of them. Chris shifted on the bed, closer to the hand before he heard a familiar chuckle. But nowhere in his dream was there a source.

" _Chris..._ " Of course he knew the voice. How many times had Wesker´s voice called his name? And in so many moments. While he was cooking, when they were in the training room, or sitting in Jill´s office. And of course, at home in bed-

"Chris." Again and the fingers ruffled up his hair now. It felt... firmer. Real. "Chris... wake up, my Star." A second later, Chris´ eyes flew open and he startled awake, looking around, but there was no one in the room. " _Christopher_ , don´t be stupid."

"Wesker?" When his eyes landed on the blond man he found familiar blue eyes staring back at him, an amused smile on the man´s lips, his fingers gliding through Chris´ hair even now before he reached out to touch his cheek. "Y-you´re-!!"

"Awake, yes. I apologize... that it took so long. Although I don´t understand why. Are you..."

"Safe, yes. So is everyone else. You saved their lives. And we made that bitch pay. And Jake and Sherry made it as well. Actually..." For a moment he hesitated, but there was no use hiding the truth. "He stopped by earlier. To deliver the finished vaccine. He kinda found out when you collapsed a month ago-"

"A month ago? And Jake... he knows that I´m..." Wesker´s eyes narrowed for a moment and the man slowly pushed himself to sit up. "What did he say?"

"That you have twenty years worth of explaining to do when you wake up. But he wasn´t... angry I guess. I think Sherry got to him. Or Piers. Probably both considering they spend a lot of time together. And you should lie down-"

"I´m fine. Just stiff and annoyed. This beeping..." Wesker glared at the machine, then tugged the needle someone dared put into his skin out and the tiny wound sealed itself within a second. Tearing the EKGs off his chest he sighed when instead of a beeping sound there was now an annoying high-pitched one and reached over, turning the machine off. "Much better. Now, where are my clothes? I am not fond of hospitals and you know that."

"Wesker! You just woke up after a month in a coma! You can´t just get up and leave-" Chris stood up, staring at the man before he found himself pinned to a hard chest, strong arms embracing him.

"I can and I will. Chris, I might not be back to one-hundred percent just yet, but I promise you that I am good to go home. Besides..." The arms loosened their hold and instead his new argument was silenced by a kiss. "What can a hospital do, that my own, personal nurse cannot? Nothing. Just like almost seventeen years ago, I am sure that no one else is better to take care of me than you." Wesker touched his cheek and Chris knew he lost before he could even try to fight the man on this.

"I´ll get you your clothes... stubborn idiot..."

"I heard that."

"I know." Chris smiled, watching Wesker as the man calmly sat up and touched his hair, making a displeased sound as he simply got up and in all of his naked glory headed to the bathroom. 

"This won´t do at all... but I can wait until we return home to shower. The facilities here are just atrocious." Wesker really was back. And just by looking at him Chris had to wonder if any time passed at all.

As he was getting dressed Chris sent Jill a message, then another to Piers if he could let Jake know that his father woke up. He didn´t doubt the two would be hanging out together. "A month in a hospital bed... I hope you can update me on everything that happened while I was incapacitated." Wesker started to button up his shirt with somewhat stiff fingers, taking longer than he usually would, but Chris knew better than to offer help. So he didn´t, instead he just walked up and moved the hands away, doing it for him.

"Of course. There isn´t much, but I will tell you everything. After you take a bath and eat." Just like seventeen years ago, when he took care of the man, he would do the same now. Done with the last button he wasn´t surprised when Wesker kissed him again and only too eagerly returned the kiss, pulling the other close for just a moment.

"We should probably find a doctor or something... at least this time there will be less explaining." 

"Yes, let´s leave here. I had enough hospitals to last me a lifetime." Chris could not agree more.

\---

"It feels wonderful to be back home." Wesker felt more at ease back at their apartment and Chris could see the tension leave his shoulders. "I think a quick shower will do just fine. Care to join me?" 

"As tempting as the offer is, and you know how damn much, you are going to take a bath and relax while I cook." Chris pushed the man towards their bedroom, not accepting any argument and smirked when Wesker stared at him. Using his best Captain vice paid off sometimes.

"When ever did you get this bossy, I wonder."

"I learned from the best. Off you go. And I promise I won´t use any parsley." Wesker´s chuckle made his heart race, that stunning smile that made his eyes glow. During the ride home they once more regained their ethereal glow and for the first time in so long, Chris was relieved to see the burning gold and red, the catlike pupils staring back at him as they kissed at a red light.

Dinner that night was late and intimate, Chris telling the man everything that happened. Jake´s reaction, his visitors while he was unconscious, how Neo-Umbrella and a Derek Simmons were connected somehow. How he waited for Wesker to open his eyes for long days and longer nights.

"I fell asleep after Jill´s call and dreamed that you were calling my name and stroking my hair. Only that it wasn´t a dream and I woke up to find you watching me..." His throat felt sore. He spoke so much that night, but he knew Wesker needed to know what happened.

"So Jake knows I am his father and seems accepting of the fact. Remind me to thank both Sherry and Piers for their help." And for keeping an eye on his son. When Chris rose to take care of the dishes he found himself tugged back, a kiss on his lips. "Though I have slept for a long time, I feel like some more rest will be ideal. Especially in our own bed. Tomorrow will be a busy day after all."

"A lot of explaining and talking." Chris smiled, nodding briefly. "Just let me put everything in the dishwasher." Wesker´s sigh made him grin and he pushed the man towards the bedroom, soon joining him in the bathroom to wash up. Even now he was fixing his hair. Perhaps not something to call a man like Albert Wesker, but it was terribly cute.

The sight of Wesker in their bed made his heart race. So long he dreamed of this and finally he was back. Stripping down to nothing he turned the lights off and quickly joined him, pulling him close. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Chris." Wesker´s arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him close and he shifted to get comfortable. Perfect. He knew his arm would fall asleep at some point, but he didn´t care at all.

For a while they just kissed, neither initiating things that would lead further to something more intense, something more passionate, but that was fine. For now, Chris was more than happy to just know his lover was back in his arms, safe and sound. It was simply _perfect_.


	32. Back to work

Chris tried to protect Wesker returning to work so quickly. A week of rest at home wasn´t enough in his opinion, but the man proved repeatedly that he was more that capable to take up his usual tasks once more. In addition to their normal activities, which he had proven time and time again all over the apartment. So now they were back, standing in Wesker´s office while the man went over the pile of untouched reports he received, somehow looking pleased that no one touched them and dared mess with his work and whatever system he had going on.

"I was thinking we should do lunch with Jill later. As well as Jake. Provided he is still around. But from what I hear, he has been spending a lot of time with Piers Nivans. The two become friends in my absence?" Chris chuckled, recalling how the two didn´t exactly see eye-to-eye when they first met.

"I think so. I didn´t hear about them fighting, so that´s good at least. I´ll tell Piers to let him know." Chris watched his lover move to his desk, taking a seat with a certain look of satisfaction.

"Sherry as well. She grew up so much... she deserves to her an explanation as well. Might as well take Piers along. If they are as friendly as I suspect, they would tell him regardless." Wesker looked at him, smiling before putting his shades back on and Chris walked around the desk to kiss him. 

"Will do. Don´t go overworking yourself. I´ll come get you for lunch, alright?"

"Thank you, Chris. I would be lost without you." And while Chris had doubts about that, it warmed his heart to know Wesker thought that way.

He let the man work for now and went to the training room, only to find the Alpha team gathered around something. Sherry was there as well, cheering while Jill shouted something about leg sweeps. His team. To think he nearly lost them. Finn especially was so happy to be working for the B.S.A.A. and now worked even harder to prove himself. They were the best team he could ask for.

"Alright, what is going on here? Hey-" Pushing his way past Jill he watched as Jake and Piers were going at it on the training mats. The taller male did not hesitate to dodge and block every of Piers´ attempts to get to him, obviously enjoying himself while frustration mounted in the sniper. And he was smiling as well for some reason. "Are they fighting or training?"

"Who cares! Have you seen Jake fight?" Jill grinned at him. "He had me on my back before I even noticed and then again when I actually tried! The kid´s a natural! Look!" Chris looked at the two again, watching as Jake sidestepped, grabbing Piers´ arm and just twisted him around enough before kicking the back of his knees, forcing him to the mat, pinning him there facedown. "He´s fucking amazing!"

"Reminds me of someone..." Chris watched as Piers gave up and was let go, then pulled up. And then the two went at it again as if nothing happened. "Are they alright?"

"Piers said he won´t stop until he gets to punch him for calling the B.S.A.A. jarheads earlier." Sherry smiled before looking at Chris. "Jill asked him to join the B.S.A.A. and he refused, claiming that the outfits looked stupid. But I think he would enjoy it. You have people working solo as well, right? And he said that he can´t go back to being a mercenary, either." Sherry looked at the two fighting men, Piers once more forced into submission. "He´s having fun."

"Thanks for keeping an eye on him. I was about to find you three, anyway. We´ll be doing lunch in Jill´s office later since Wesker plans to talk to Jake, so you and Piers should also come. Your dad... Doctor Birkin saved him years ago. Started him on the right path when things could have gone so wrong." Chris gently squeezed her shoulder. William Birkin could be proud of his daughter and of what he accomplished. "You know, you would make a good B.S.A.A. operative, Sherry..."

"Not a chance. Besides... you don´t make uniforms in my size anyway." She watched Jake as he helped Piers stand up again and the taller man pushed him to take a break before Carl took over, eager to try his luck. "Dad did a lot of strange work, but he tried to help in his own way. Because of him I am alive now. And so are many others. Even if his work killed him, I know he would be happy to see the result." Chris nodded, recalling how Wesker felt when Birkin died and he couldn´t save him. 

"Your dad would be really damn proud of you. I know Claire is. Talks about you a lot. So, lunch later?"

"Sure! Though why Jill´s office?"

"Yea, why my office-get him Carl!" Jill barely managed to tear her eyes away from the fight before Carl ended on his back.

"It´s the largest and you have the best chairs. You can pick the food." And Chris knew what it would be since Jill seemed to have the biggest aversion towards cooking he had ever seen.

"Captain, why don´t you try going against Jake? You´re strong and used to train with Wesker? If anyone stands a chance it´s you." Piers´ words stopped the man as he made to leave and he felt the burning blue gaze on the back of his head.

"I´m not sure I have the time-"

"I took care of all your paperwork along with Piers. There isn´t much beside two reports I need you to read and sign. You have the time. Go and change." Jill smirked and he knew that this was some kind of punishment. 

"Fine... be right back." This was not going to go well for him and he knew it. He hadn´t really had a chance to talk to Jake either. For now he went to the locker room to change, glancing at the photos he had hanging there. Claire´s graduation, the old S.T.A.R.S. photo (and with the help of modern technology and a lot of time, one person has been removed rather nicely) and of course, Wesker and him. No time to reminisce right now.

"It´s been a while..." Stretching his arms he wandered over to the middle of the mats where Jake was already waiting and it was just like facing Wesker, but he didn´t know what to expect. From what he saw, their fighting styles were different. And Jake had no special abilities that took him beyond the abilities of a normal human. Chris maybe stood a chance after all.

Or so he thought before the match started and instantly a punch made him stumble back a few steps, knocking the wind out of him. With a grunt he glared forward, the same smirk adorning Jake´s face that was on Wesker´s each time they trained like this. The first punch was not bad, but Jake simply dodged, grabbing his arm, pulling him forward and making him stumble again. Barely he caught himself before he hit the mat hard and watched Jake kneel beside him.

"You know, if I wouldn´t know better, I would think you are trying to make this easy for me. Come on, Redfield, show me what you can do. Or are you telling me that you can keep up with my old man like this?" Jake´s taunting worked, much to his annoyance, and Chris glared at the younger male and pushed himself up, cracking his neck to the side.

"I´ve been neglecting my workouts these past weeks, so forgive me if I am a little rusty. Give me a moment and I will give you a proper challenge, Muller." 

"Show me what a B.S.A.A. Captain can do and I might reconsider Valentine´s offer." Jake smirked, holding out his hand as he curled his fingers at Chris. Briefly, he heard Jill mutter about being a Captain as well, but by then Chris was already too busy with Jake.

So much for paperwork.

\---

He felt sore all over and he knew he had bruises in places he didn´t even see, but Chris felt highly satisfied. He managed to overpower Jake a few time, a couple brawls ending with a draw and though it was mostly a win for the younger man, they seemed to have enjoyed it. And his close quarters combat techniques were remarkable, unlike anything Chris had seen; A strange mix of krav maga and something else. He would be a real asset for the B.S.A.A., but he had to be convinced.

Freshly showered and dressed he peered into the training room. Jill and Sherry left for her office already and the Alpha team moved onto another part of their training, which left Jake and Piers alone. Talking. Sitting close together like old friends. And Chris was glad they got along so well. "Hey, don´t forget about lunch. Get cleaned up before I send the girls to get you," he threatened, failing to notice the way Piers seemed to jump at his voice.

Chris had to retrieve Wesker instead, knocking briefly as he entered and found the man calmly working through the stack of reports, the impeccable handwriting simply beautiful. And he appeared to be almost done already? Chris would never cease to be amazed by him. "Come on, we have a lunch to get to and I had to let Jill pick, so you know what that means." Walking over he leaned over the desk.

"Pizza, of course. I swear I will be signing her up for cooking classes. She is an adult, yet cannot cook more than simple pasta." Wesker shook his head, sighing the last report and set it aside before getting up and walking around the desk, pulling Chris into an embrace before his lips stole a kiss. "Or you could teach her, but that would cut into our time together."

"I think she can survive on cup noodles and takeout. It´s not that bad. I used to do that before I learned how to cook." Chris was now really damn good at cooking though and considered it fun as well. He didn´t even need to wear an apron, but one annoyed look from Wesker and he had it back on just to make him smile again. It was the simple things sometimes.

"She would probably burn her place down trying. Come on, Sherry´s already there and Jake and Piers are on their way as soon as they wash up. That was something though! You have to see Jake fight. He´s amazing! Took me forever to win even one match and he wasn´t even out of breath." Chris wondered how Wesker would feel about his son becoming an operative for the B.S.A.A. since he could work alone just like his father instead of with a team. He had the necessary skill after all. But that might not be the best topic as of yet.

Instead he just held the man´s hand and lead him to Jill´s office where the girls were already talking about Jake´s fighting skills as they entered, large boxes of pizza on a table in front of Jill´s desk. She renovated sometime last year and now had a couch and two chairs facing each other, a desk in the middle that was usually full of papers or takeout boxes. Often both. "Took you long enough. Where are the other two?"

"Right here. Sorry we took a while." Piers smiled, awkwardly making his way inside and stood by a wall, feeling out of place and it was written all over his face. Jake however just sat on the armrest of a chair beside Sherry, not looking sorry at all. He had a strange smirk on his face, but Chris couldn´t place that one, even though he knew it well.

"Alright then. Everyone find a seat, grab some tissues since I don´t want greasy prints on my furniture and eat! Oh, I got some water here." Jill stood from her chair t grab the bottles, setting six of them on the table and Chris sat with Wesker on the couch before motioning for Piers to take a seat in the chair since Jill was more than happy to sit in her desk chair, giving her a bit more height over the others. Except for Jake.

"Well then, allow me to start from the beginning... some twenty-one years ago."

\---

Lunch took much longer than before and by the time they were done talking, the pizza was gone and the mood strange. Wesker talked a lot and Jake asked questions, some of them only Chris or Jill could answer. But there was no shouting, no raised voices or animosity. And when Jake spoke of his life in Edonia, as much as he was willing to share, Wesker listened and asked about his mother. The regret of not knowing about her situation laced his voice each time, but it was too late now. And when Jake said that he did not blame him for what happened, he could only believe the young man.

"That was... a lot more to take in that I expected, actually. But I guess it was time we had this talk." Jake stood up and nodded after a moment. "I guess I will stick around for a while. The B.S.A.A. is not a bad place from what I can tell. Who knows, this might just be fun. There´s still more to talk about no doubt, but for now, I think we all had enough."

"You haven´t said where you´re staying while in London, Jake."

"I found a nice motel not far from the city, but right now it´s with Piers since he said it´s closer to the HQ and more practical." Jake looked to the sniper who nodded. He had been oddly silent this whole time.

"I don´t mine. It´s nice having company. Plus he´s a good cook." Chris was not surprised to hear that and Wesker sighed.

"Another one to sign up for cooking classes with Jill. Very well then, I will see you around. And give Jill´s proposal a thought or two. If your skills are as good as everyone says, the B.S.A.A. could use another solo operative. Things have been busy with Neo-Umbrella getting in the way." Wesker stood up, walking around the couch and for a moment father and son stared at each other. Like this, it was almost too easy to see the similarities, but also the differences.

When the two hugged, as brief as it was, Chris almost felt like crying and Jill nudged him softly. "See? Everything turned out fine."

"Yea, I will have to listen to you more often."

"I´ll believe it when I have it in writing, signed and framed on my wall." Chris gave her a nudge back and stood up while Piers gathered the boxes, muttering about throwing them out so Jill wouldn´t have to.

"I´m glad to see you two get along, Piers. Though I didn´t expect the roommate thing." Chris helped him fold the boxes, his strength making that an easy feat. "When you two first met it looked like you two want to fight."

"We... get along pretty well. And since Jake was at the HQ every day it made sense. My place is big enough anyway. Not like he came with much..." Piers looked to Jake briefly, then grabbed the empty pizza boxes from Chris. "But I think if he decides to stick around, he can work on that. Sherry said that the US government will be paying him for the blood donation, as he calls it."

"He lowered the asking price, but I still made sure he gets what he deserves." She gave Chris a knowing smile. "I think he´ll stick around. After all, his father´s here and he likes the B.S.A.A., even if he refuses to wear the uniforms no matter what."

"Never gonna happen, Supergirl."

"See? Alright, I have to go make a report and soon I´ll be going back to America. Let´s do this again before I leave! I should take some photos to show Claire that you´re doing fine, too. She´s been asking about you a lot. Oh, she also said she has some photos for Piers and Wesker... don´t know what they are."

"Thank you, Sherry. I am sure Piers will let me know when they arrive." Clueless, Chris looked from the girl to Wesker while the man refused to meet his eyes. What photos was she talking about? And Piers and Wesker? What did they have to do with them? He was definitely asking about this later, but right now, he should probably go back to his office and start on the paperwork he neglected.

"Stop by anytime! My office door is always open." Jill smiled as they all made their way out. Sherry walked with Jake and Piers before waving goodbye to them and Chris watched the two for a while longer. Jake and Wesker. Son and father. So alike and yet... not. 

Where he felt love when he looked at Wesker, he felt nothing for Jake. Over time they might become friends, but right now he just considered him the son of the man he loved. Watching them during the talk he noticed the more subtle differences as well. Jake´s hair was red, no doubt about that, where Wesker´s was almost platinum blond. Wesker also had a more chiselled jaw line and the faintest hint of lines in the corners of his lines and lips when he smiled. Though someone his age should probably have more. Their noses were the same and even the posture matched as they stood facing each other, their physique nearly the same as well. And both seemed to really love the colour black.

The thing that was the same for sure, and Chris would know this best, were the eyes. Wesker forced the blue back for a while before Chris told him that it was too early to be straining himself like that and the man listened, reverting to the usual gold and red. But the blue was the same. Only on a different man.

"That went far better than I expected. But damn, he punches hard. Just like you. I´m sore all over." Chris groaned as he walked to his office rubbing his shoulder where he already knew a nasty bruise was forming.

"How interesting... sore all over?" He heard Wesker behind him, the door closing.

"Well, maybe I´m exaggerating. But it´s been a while since I had such a great workout." Chris stretched his arms above his head, feeling rather great. His body was still in great shape, he could hold his own against Jake and they had great pizza for lunch. What could be better.

"Is that so? You enjoying such a workout this much..." Wesker slowly approached him and Chris noticed too late what was happening before he was pinned to the desk, his ass meeting the edge as lips crushed against his and a moment later he found himself seated on the desk, papers fluttering to the floor before he had a chance to protest.

Not that it would help. Or that he wanted to. But he knew for a fact that the door wasn´t locked and someone could walk in again. It happened before! But he didn´t get to complain about this either since his lips were busy and his hands already on Wesker´s belt, knowing his own desire better than he did himself.

There was time for romance later. This was purely about need and he knew it. Never mind that this morning already began with a much longer shower thanks to Wesker. Pulling back from the kiss to breathe he wanted to mention the door, but it was too late. His lover already started pulling the pants off his hips, grunting as the boots got in the way and for once he had the patience to unlace them enough to pull them off, tossing them into the room without a care. 

"I´m very pleased to see that in spite of that great workout, you are still eager for more." Wesker shamelessly stared at him, undressing him with his eyes before his hands actually did the job, tugging the pants off his hips, his boxers with cartoony catheads following. Wesker bought those for him...

Denying that he was already hard was impossible for Chris at this point and he just ended up pulling Wesker into another kiss while the man reached into the top drawer, pulling out the well-used bottle of lubricant. And he didn´t wait, either. Two fingers easily slid inside Chris, making him moan and spread his legs even more. Usually he would be bent over the desk and not seated on top like this, but the change was welcome. Something about seeing Wesker when they had sex made everything feel more intense.

A third digit soon began stretching him and he knew what came next. His body was more than ready as he tried to pull Wesker closer, biting at his lip to get the man´s attention, but to no avail. There was something important he wanted to tell him, something he wanted Wesker to do, but he never got the chance to do so as the man pulled his fingers out and quickly replaced them by his member.

The desktop shook as Wesker thrust inside him and Chris barely muffled a cry with his hand, but soon had to use that to hold onto the desk. Wesker really wasn´t holding back now and he could feel it with every thrust that resonated through his body, making him shake and the heat spread all over. His neglected erection needed no touching, the sensation alone enough to make it glisten with precome while Wesker´s lips started decorating his neck with more marks. The man never grew out of this strange habit and frankly, Chris loved it. Childish as it was, he loved it.

The pace quickly increased and Chris had to bite his lip to prevent himself from moaning too loudly. Door be damned, they have been caught before, but that didn´t mean he wanted to be seen like this. Wesker buried deep inside him and him looking like a hot mess. 

When he came, Chris failed to keep silent, crying out his lover´s name loudly enough for anyone outside the office door to hear, but he was too far gone to care. The pleasure was too intense and he knew there would never come a day when he would tire of this. It was when he felt Wesker spill inside him, the man groaning out his name in that amazing voice, that Chris knew what he wanted to tell him

A condom! Twice he had showered today and now... fuck. He definitely needed another shower. Breathless, Chris stared at the man, seeing the smug expression and his eyes widened. He did that on purpose! The condoms were right beside the lube in the drawer, several prepared for when lust took over at work and he just... ignored it on purpose.

"You´re _impossible_!"

"Thank you, Chris." Wesker kissed him, gently pecking his lips as he slowly pulled out and looked him over, as if enjoying the view before grabbing the box of tissues and wiping the mess off Chris´ stomach. The younger man just watched, letting himself be cleaned up, the tender care from Wesker something he came to appreciate very early on in their relationship. And it never changed.

"Now I have to shower again." The glint in Wesker´s eyes made him frown. "And I don´t need help!"

"Of course." Another soft kiss and Wesker pulled away, calmly picking up Chris´ pants off the floor along with the boxers. "It feels wonderful to be back at work."

Chris could only agree. It was perfect.


	33. Sacrifice II

There was something strange about seeing Wesker and Jake talk so casually in the hallways of the B.S.A.A. HQ. It took a while to get used to the sight and Chris wasn´t the only one. Father and son. And both of them were invaluable to the entire organization, but also to the people. Months have passed since Edonia and they were getting closer and closer to the man behind Neo-Umbrella. The one behind the sterilization of Raccoon City. Things were moving quickly and they were all aware of what was at stake. And they were ready.

Jake stayed in the end. Working as a legit good guy seemed interesting, according to the young man, and he wanted to stick around because of Wesker as well. But when the man proposed to buy him his own place, probably close to his own, Jake refused, claiming he had a nice arrangement going on with Piers already and living with someone wasn´t bad. Piers only nodded, tugging on the scarf around his neck even though that day has been rather sunny and warm. Nobody thought anything about it.

For now, Chris returned to his office, going over the detailed reports on Derek C. Simmons and what he had done all those years. Working with such power behind him... yet obsessed with one person to the point where he tried to clone her. It was disturbing on so many levels. Well, Carla Radames, the Fake Ada Wong that nearly killed his team in Edonia and hurt his lover, was dead. Chris made sure that the fire squad burned anything that could have remained.

Apparently she had been in charge until her death, where all those under her employ turned to Simmons for protection, claiming to make an even better clone, one that wouldn´t disobey or rebel against his own selfish and disturbing needs. Reading that file made Chris feel dirty.

Now the man was in China and the B.S.A.A. was going there as well. Tomorrow was the big day. They had to finish this. Simmons had to be either arrested, but chances were someone would kill him. A man with his power and influence could not be allowed to live, not after all the atrocities he had done. His Alpha team was ready, Wesker was already eager to get his hands on the current head of Neo-Umbrella and the man responsible for Raccoon City´s destruction and even Jill was eager to come along once she heard that Sherry was involved for her own reasons. It seemed like too much already, but then Jake decided to tag along as well.

A party of the most unbelievable people working together. Chris was already wondering what would go wrong.

\---

"Where´s Jake?" Sherry looked around the plane, but couldn´t see him anywhere and Chris nodded towards the back of the plane. 

"He said he´s going to walk around since he´s bored. Piers went with him to keep an eye on him and keep him out of trouble. Nice to see they are getting along after the first meeting, right?" Chris grinned, looking from Sherry to Wesker who gave him a soft chuckle.

"Indeed. It appears they found a common ground after all." For a second, Chris was confused, but that was fine as the two returned, Piers looking oddly flushed and Jake smirking once they took their seats once more.

The flight had been pleasant and everyone already knew what had to be done. Bravo and Echo arrived earlier that week to help out in Waiyip and Alpha team, along with the three independent operatives and one government agent, were on the hunt for Simmons. 

The moment the plane touched ground they were off, aware that they had to deal with more than just one powerful man. No, Simmons had his own private army and C-Virus infected soldiers on his side. More than that, he had influence.

Finding him wasn´t that hard, surprisingly, the tall building a most clichéd setting, Chris thought. Finn took care of getting the locked doors open with relative ease, having spent the past months working on a new type of explosive. Powerful, yet no more loud than a cat sneezing. Wesker insisted he has it patented and helped him with the paperwork.

"Stay alert." Chris took the role of the leader once more and they listened. At least most of them. Wesker was already moving ahead on his own, scanning the area for anything suspicious, inspecting a green plant he found in one corner. Perhaps the only useful thing Umbrella had ever done was enable the spread of these throughout the world. The medical field advanced so much thanks to these.

Jake himself stayed close to Sherry, feeling protective as Jill did a Wesker and went exploring on her own, inspecting dead bodies, making sure they wouldn´t rise again. Chris just let his team forward, kicking the next door open only to find a man in a white suit already waiting, surrounded by machine guns and looking so incredibly smug for some reason.

"Ah, Mr. Redfield. How nice of you to finally join us here. Came to watch the destruction of China, have you?" That smug voice made his skin crawl.

"Simmons!"

"I am afraid your little team will not be enough to help you out. But please, be my guest." The man... thought this was it? That Alpha team were the only ones here? "I think around this time, in a few hours, the United States will suffer a crippling blow and finally I can start making my destiny come true."

"The United States? What are you talking about?" Chris knew. Ada found out, that woman more resourceful than a team of spies.

"You do recall what happened at Marhawa Academy, don´t you? Almost a year ago..." Chris grit his teeth, more than aware. That monster, that piece of shit that spread the C-Virus everywhere. And now one a few were ready to hatch in Tall Oaks. And so were Delta team and several government agents. Along with Wong, who had a strange personal thing going on as well. "Now you can watch more of my creations spread through this city and then, the entire continent before they engulf the world and I will rise as the new king of-"

"Jesus Christ, do you ever shut up?" Jake´s annoyed tone came from above and not even Chris noticed him there. "What is it with you people just talking on and on and on. Do you know how annoying that is?"

"I´m with Jake on this one. I also found one of these." Jill tossed a blue disc on the ground. "No idea what it is good for, but it has the Family´s design on it. So it made me want to break it."

"Ms. Valentine. I wasn´t aware of your miraculous... recovery. I thought that you met your untimely demise in Lord Spencer´s mansion along with Albert Wesker." Simmons no longer sounded as confident and the men at his side seemed confused. They were ready to shoot, but received no orders at all... 

"Then I would presume you were unaware of my own existence as well. Such bad planning on your side, Simmons, but I expect nothing more from the likes of you." Wesker sounded amused for some reason and the moment he stepped forward, standing beside Chris, Simmons took a step back, staring at him in shock. And Chris knew that moment that none of this was going according to his plan

"Sherry, you got all that?"

"Yep! All the Lepotica B.O.W. were neutralized and President Benford is getting ready to address the public in a few days regarding the attacks by Neo-Umbrella. Leon and Helena are on it." The cheerful blond girl stared at Simmons. "Oh, and Ada Wong says you sicken her, Simmons."

"Agent Birkin. How am I not surprised? After I received no word from you about Jake Muller, I assumed you have both unfortunately met your demise." Simmons looked to the young man who was glaring back and from him his gaze slid to Wesker. Father and son on the same side was not something he counted with in his plan.

"You might as well give up now, Simmons. You aren´t walking away from here." Chris had all guns pointed at the man, Piers´ sniper rifle aiming at the man´s head. 

"You seem to overestimate your team, Mr. Redfield. I assure you I have no intention of stopping now." The smug expression was gone from his face. His plan to infect the United States was ruined and now he was facing the B.S.A.A. like this. He felt outnumbered. "I still have-"

He never finished the sentence, a helicopter swooping in and someone shot him, straight in the neck and Chris recognized the mask the man wore before he was shot down by one of Simmons´ men. J´avo. One of Carla´s men... maybe her final revenge. Though he was surprised no one tried to shoot him since. Then again, maybe she was glad to be at rest after what she had gone through. He read the file. And felt sorry for the woman, but still hated her for trying to kill his team and his lover.

"Well... played..." Simmons grimaced, clutching at his neck before he tried walking away, but didn´t get far. He fell, body twitching and the men around him remained confused, clueless what to do as they received no orders now with the man down. They didn´t have to wonder for long when Jake swooped in from above, knocking the first one out with ease and punched another before he could even look shocked.

"It´s not over just yet! Get ready!" He called and Chris motioned for his men to move forward. 

"You are right... it´s not... over yet..." Simmons laughed, a disturbing, metallic sound before his jaw split open and a small device fell from his hand and to the ground. Jake picked it up quickly, handing it to Jill as he quickly took out the two other guards just as quickly.

"Chris! This is some kind of launcher! Somewhere... off-shore! The C-Virus!"

"Find the location!" Chris cursed, glaring at Simmons as the man collapsed again under the weight of the skeletal frame that was now pushing him down. He was a monster a true one, and he was going to enjoy taking him out.

"Aim for the weak spots! Don´t get killed! That´s an order!" Shouting to his team, Chris was proud to see them all focused and ready.

_"Yes, Captain!"_

\---

Watching Simmons crash and burn was oddly satisfying, the way he ended up impaled in that ridiculous obelisk a fitting end for the man. But it was too early to celebrate just yet. Once Jill found the location of the underwater facility, she was all for going there, but Chris overruled her quickly.

"No, you´ll take charge of Alpha and make sure the city is safe. Get in contact with agent Kennedy and Ada Wong. I´ll go in with Piers." The sniper was more than ready, having checked the bodies of Simmons´ fallen men and Chris thought he saw him pocket something.

"I´m coming too." The double voice made him turn around and stare at the father and son duo. It was eerie to hear them speak like that and he knew he had to tell them to stay here. "Don´t even try it, Redfield. I can just say I quit the B.S.A.A. and go on my own so you can´t pull the boss card."

"And I´m going regardless." Wesker was hard to argue with when he was so determined. Chris stared at the man for a second, then just sighed. This was not the time to argue about this kind of thing and he knew it.

"Fine. Get a move on. Sherry, stay with Jill and help her."

"Will do. You guys stay safe, alright?" Jake gave her a nod and his eyes lingered on Piers for some reason as the sniper followed behind Chris. At least the HQ provided a helicopter really quickly and the facility was not that far off-shore.

\---

"What is that thing..." Chris stared at the simulation of HAOS release, then looked at the giant chrysalid that hung in the middle of the large room. It was terrifying and disgusting and he knew he saw a skull inside the transparent tissue.

"The perfect B.O.W., I presume." Wesker muttered, staring at the creature. "The release sequence has been activated remotely by Simmons. And cannot be dealt with from here. We have to find a way to somehow ensure it won´t come to life. Or destroy it and ensure it never reaches the surface."

The real question was how. The thing was massive and Chris could not see a weak point anywhere, yet he saw it twitch several times as they moved along the already fragile railings. It was about to wake up, any second now, and they had nothing. Guns could do little in this case and their best bet might actually be Wesker´s power, but relying on that... relying on him being able to destroy it also meant a risk of a sacrifice. And Chris wasn´t ready for that.

"It´s hatching! Shit!" Jake´s voice snapped him out of it and he stared as the disgusting creature began to slowly emerge from the chrysalid, transparent skin showing all distorted organs, the skull staring at them with empty sockets. It was the most disgusting thing he had ever seen.

"There has to be a control room somewhere up there! We have to find it! Run!!" And they ran, having no other choice to escape as HAOS began to slowly destroy the metal walkways they stood on moments ago. Wesker moved with ease, faster than anyone and ended up engaging the monster, trying to have it focus on him more often than now, but Chris was not having that. He had a large gun for a reason and the calibre perfectly created for this purpose. Shooting that thing did little, sure, but at the same time he saw it try to curl away from the bullets, protecting its chest. Could it be...

"The chest! It´s recoiling from the bullets for a reason!" Chris ducked beneath a metal beam before making it up another platform and a moment later he ducked to the side as a goopy tendril crashed to his side. When he got up, he saw Wesker and Piers on the other side while Jake was with him. 

"Go! We´ll meet up again later!" He didn´t want to listen, but they had to move before the B.O.W could try to crush them again. Wesker knew what he was doing. And Piers would keep an eye on him for sure.

"There has to be a control room somewhere." Jake was frantically searching the next room, a thick door separating them from Haos. And it didn´t come after him... so it probably went after Wesker and Piers. He felt terrified, but keeping a cool head was vital. He stuck to Jake, inspecting every panel, but nothing stood out. There was nothing. Room after room they searched, the young man taking out the lingering B.O.W. with his bare hands and more angry than he should be. Probably worried about his friend and his father.

"They have to be fine..." Muttered Jake as they entered another room and a second later he dodged out of the way when something tried to pin him to the wall. Or someone? Chris wasn´t sure what the thing was, but he opened fire anyway. The bullets barely seemed to affect the monster. It looked... a lot like the Tyrant actually. And it was after Jake for some reason?

"It never ends with this one, does it? Alright, time to end this!" The young man didn´t seem as shocked as Chris himself, already grabbing a large gun from the holster at his waist and rushed toward another door. "Whoa, now this is fun. Chris! Watch your step!"

A moment later Chris found out why he was warned as he entered the room, the lava making sweat pearl at his forehead. That explained HAOS being here, the heat probably allowing it to grow to that size. "What is that thing?"

"Sherry called it the Ustanak or something. Been chasing us since Edonia and it´s a fucking pain in the ass! I think Carla sent it after me and since she´s not around any longer he just continues being annoying!" Jake ran to the end of a slim walkway before it shook and he took a fall to the floor below. Chris was not far behind as the walkway fell into the lava below and he ended up shooting at the Ustanak. The bullets barely affected him.

"Alright, let´s get rid of this thing once and for all then." Chris looked around for something that might help, but didn´t get far with the Ustanak already on them, once more going after Jake. But he was there, a giant steel ball knocking Chris back, the machine gun he held falling from his hands and into the lava. No matter, he still had his revolver. 

"We need to get that thing off of him!" One hit from that thing and he felt dazed.

"No shit!" One key difference between Wesker and Jake that he noticed early on. Jake swore a lot more than his father. Chris grinned briefly, waiting for the Ustanak to focus on Jake before rushing at him. This was insane and made no sense and he still did it, grabbing hold on the monster, forcing it down to the ground with all his might. 

_"Now!"_ For once, Jake did as told, grabbing the arm attachment, tugging with all of his might at it until the wires tore and it came off, the momentum allowing him to toss it into the lava. But it was too early to celebrate as the Ustanak threw Chris off onto another walkway, his back hitting a steel pillar. That fucking hurt.

"This is more like it!" Shaking himself off, Chris looked down below, watching Jake stretch. Was he serious? Mouth open as he stared at Jake in shock, Chris couldn´t believe what he was doing. "Let´s settle this mano a mano!" 

He was going hand to hand with that damn monster. And... actually doing fine. Chris had no time to waste. There were panels around that probably controlled the containers on the walkways. Heavy as they were, they could definitely prove to be useful. Figuring the controls out took only a moment, but he had to wait.

"Damn..." Chris stared at Jake as he punched the Ustanak, knocking him off balance and saw that as his cue to move the console, watching a container move down the rails. Jake had enough sense to get out of the way just in time for the container to crash down onto the B.O.W. and the impact knocked him back, but it wasn´t enough. At least it gave Jake enough time to refocus.

"Is this even possible?" Watching him fight was fascinating and Chris felt so damn proud that he won the few times he did against the young man. Watching him take a running jump at the monster and punch him off the railing and into the hot lava below, Chris had no words. The Ustanak writhed, trying to move, splashing molten fire around and the facility shook from something. Something big was happening elsewhere and his heart sank. Wesker and Piers.

When a barrel fell down onto the Ustanak and knocked him below the hot surface, Chris knew it had to be over. "Good riddance." Jake seemed no worse off than before.

"There´s the way out. Come on, we have to get out and find your father and Piers." This was not the right time to celebrate and they both knew it. At least the facility still held on. HAOS... he had no idea what happened to it and where it was and it scared him to know it might be after Wesker and Piers. Neither of them better play the hero. Finding a strange shaft he inspected the platform, pulling the lever on each side before nearly falling over.

"Guess this is our way out!"

"It better be! Can´t steer worth shit!" Holding onto the moving platform was fairly easy, but when another explosion shook the facility, even the tunnel itself, Chris made the mistake of looking behind him, a cloud of fire following them. He hoped this lead all the way up, considering how deep underground they were.

They made it out and into the open sea with less trouble than Chris thought there would be. Rather near the shore, though by the time they reached it his muscles were screaming. He was so tired, exhausted, but all the more anxious. "Piers? Piers, come in! Wesker!"

"Puppy? You better answer me you idiot! Dad! Come on, anyone!" Jake was equally frantic beside him, but either the earpieces were damaged or... or there was no signal. He refused to acknowledge any other option.

The whirling blades of a helicopter soon interrupted their desperate attempts and Jill´s voice sounded over the noise, frantic and loud. "Chris! Jake! Find a place to land, we found them!" The helicopter needed a moment and the two men were already walking towards the spot. The lack of people on board terrified Chris.

"Where´s Wesker? And Piers?" he hoped they already made it out. Landing on the facility above the sea level, the helicopter should still be there. They could have easily used that and made it out. So where were they?

"We´re tracking a weak signal near the same place where the facility stood. There was a giant burst of energy from something a moment ago. Come on, it has to be them!" Already on board, Chris just nodded, Jake´s face betraying nothing. "Sherry´s with Finn and the others." Jake nodded, reassured at least about one thing, but his face remained serious.

The helicopter flew close to water until debris began to appear more and more often. Remains of that facility, of the horror inside. But there was no giant B.O.W. swimming towards the shore, no monstrous creatures filling the sea. It reminded Chris of how they dealt with something similar years ago.

"There! An escape pod!" Jill´s voice snapped him out of the memories and immediately he stared at the ball of steel that floated with such ease on the sea. The door was open and he saw a dark figure inside and something... sparking? 

"Piers!!" Jake did not hesitate to jump from the helicopter and into water, swimming to the pod as Jill kicked down the ladder before Chris could follow. The relief he felt was temporary the moment he saw the source of the odd blue light coming from within the pod.

"What did you do? _Puppy!?_ Look at me!" Jake stared at him, touched the mutated limb as he tried to get the sniper to look at him, but there was no response.

"Get into the helicopter, Jake, leave the boy to me." Chris could see that he wanted to argue, but after a moment Jake listened, grabbing Piers´ fallen scarf before climbing while Wesker hoisted the young man carefully into one arm and Chris began to pull him up.

"Help me move him. I need to work quickly. Jill, I need access to Simmons´ lab before it's too late!" 

"Got it!" They all wanted to know what happened, needed to ask so many questions, but Wesker´s face showed no patience for that. The helicopter flew quickly from that point, getting them back into Waiyip, landing on top of a tall skyscraper, Sherry already waiting there with the rest of Alpha team. Seeing everyone alive was at least some relief.

"I´m carrying him." Jake´s growl was protective, one that Chris recognized fairly well as he watched him lift Piers into his arms and follow Wesker to an elevator. 

"Sherry, please come with us. I´ll need your help..." Wesker had no time to answer questions and Chris knew that and hated that. But they all followed, taking two elevators down to the research facility, the extensive lab that Wesker easily figured out. "Same as Umbrella... place him over there. Chris, set up the lab now. Jill, get me the C-Virus vaccines you have on you. Sherry, Jake, I´m going to need your blood."

It was fascinating to watch Wesker work like this and Chris wished the circumstances were different. Nobody said a word as the man worked, moving too quickly for human eyes to follow, boiling the blood, adding his own to the mix. "Having an existing vaccine makes this easier. I should be able to save his eye... yes, this will work, just a bit longer and it will be perfect." Talking to himself, Wesker carefully added Sherry´s blood to the strange concoction he was working on.

"Chris, Jake... look at this. It´s the camera feed from the facility..."

"Don´t care." Jake was glued to the glass that separated him from Piers. Clutching the other´s scarf. And Chris knew that look. How many times had he had the same when he saw Wesker get hurt? When exactly it happened or why, he didn´t know or care, but realizing how Jake felt was still startling.

"It shows what happened." That got the young man´s attention and he was by Jill´s side as she tapped on the keyboard off to one side. 

HAOS followed Wesker and Piers, chasing after them and each time they seemed to get rid of that thing it came back. The feed shifted to another camera, a large room that looked like a glorified storage filling with water as the door burst open and HAOS moved inside, tossing the ripped off metal at Piers. There was no sound, but the sickening sight didn´t need any. "Puppy..." His arm was torn off at the shoulder, or at the very least cut, but before Wesker could even get to him HAOS grabbed him, crushing him bit by bit.

"That... is the C-Virus..." Watching Piers crawl one-armed towards a fallen syringe made Chris feel sick, but not more than watching him inject himself with it. "He did that to-"

"Save my dad..." The sparks were Piers´ arm as he fought HAOS. He saved Wesker with what he had done. Saved the world. The video shifted to another angle, a long walkway that was slowly collapsing, but Wesker was faster. Carrying Piers he let nothing stop him as he reached the door that lead to the escape pods.

"I´m not letting you die here, Piers. You´re going back up with me. Why would you even do such a thing..." Wesker was activating the escape pod, the audio distorted and the next voice came from somewhere beneath the camera.

"Because Jake... would be sad. Even if he wouldn´t show it. You´re his dad. And Chris deserves... to be happy. Can´t let you make him cry again."

"And you think your death would not affect them? Especially since you and my son are-ah, finally!" The pod door opened and he moved to Piers to help him inside when he was shoved aside. "Piers!"

"Sorry... but I can´t... I have to stop it." Watching Piers hit something on the console that forced the pod door to start closing, Chris watched in horror as the door broke down, the room flooding with water once more. But Piers was ready. He waited until the pod nearly closed before unleashing a blinding jolt of electricity and the sound distorted in the camera, ruining the next audio completely.

The escape pod room was broken and HAOS falling into the depths, but the escape pod did not move, the door forced down as gloved hands gripped the edge. Wesker shouted something and grabbed Piers as the sniper collapsed, shoving him inside the pod and hit the panel inside, letting the door close properly before the feed died.

"Piers deliberately infected himself to save my father... to save the world." Jake looked away from the screen and at the blond man who was adding carefully measured drops into a vial, then put it into a centrifuge. 

"Almost done... come on..." Chris walked away from Jill and to the glass panel, staring at Piers, the sparking arm. If it was still doing that it had to mean that he was alive. But his side... he had seen the damage it did, the loss of his arm and yet here he was. 

"It´s done!" Wesker fished the vial from the centrifuge and quickly attached it to a syringe, not wasting a second as he rushed into the room. There was no hesitation in what he did as he injected the serum he created. The mutated arm twitched and writhed, Piers´ body convulsing and a scream tore from his throat. Wesker stepped out, closing the door and tossed the empty syringe aside.

_"Piers!!"_ Chris barely managed to grab Jake as he tried to rush into the room before it filled with electricity. "Let me go!"

"Jake, watch. He´s going to be fine." Wesker sounded exhausted, yet confident. The electricity soon stopped bouncing off the walls and the room cleared, showing Piers lying there on the raised bed, chest riding and falling as the fingers on his right hand twitched. "It will be a while for him before he gets used to it, considering it is a re-grown limb and the same goes for his eye, but other than that..."

"He´s going to be alright?" Jake´s voice sounded so full of hope as Chris let go of him. Seeing Piers lie there so calmly, as though he didn´t just face death several times, made everything almost seem just like a bad dream. Chris watched his fingers twitch again, the young sniper calmly breathing.

"Yes, Jake, he´s going to be fine." Jake sighed, then just hugged his father and Chris smiled as he saw the shock written all over the man´s face before he awkwardly returned the embrace. 

"Thank you..." Jake´s voice was barely above a whisper before he pulled away, once more staring at Piers.

"You´re welcome." Wesker looked to Chris, then back at Piers. "There is nothing that I can do about the mild scarring caused by the electricity as such. His arm and shoulder, his right side and the right side of his face will all bear faint marks, but they will fade more over time and shouldn´t hinder his range of motion or impair his vision."

"Doesn´t matter..." Jake was already entering the room, walking to Piers and took hold of his right hand. "He´s perfectly fine as he is."

"I´ll make sure the plane is ready to get us back home as soon as possible." Jill patted Wesker´s shoulder, flashing the man a smile as she left, Sherry going with her to call Kennedy and ask how things were in the States. The moment the door closed, Chris walked to his lover and hugged him close, claiming his lips in a hard, desperate kiss.

"There are so many things... I want to tell you and yell at you and..." Chris stared into the man´s eyes, then just shook his head. "I love you, Wesker."

"I love you too, Chris." Strong arms pulled him close and he just leaned into the man, closing his eyes for a moment. They couldn´t be back home soon enough. And he didn´t doubt everyone else felt that way, too.


	34. Perfection

"That´s it for Neo-Umbrella... feels good, right?" Chris switched to another station when the news anchor finished talking about that damned company. Simmons was done, the president revealed the threats he received from both the man and the Family over the years, along with Umbrella being the cause and the true start of the madness of the past years. Chris saw Leon Kennedy stand behind the president during his speech, trying hard not to smile as the man spoke of those who started the madness so many years ago.

"It took so long... and it is far from over." Wesker pulled him close, toying with the glass of wine in his hand. "But seeing someone so powerful fall is satisfying." The president mentioned the B.S.A.A., their efforts to stop bioterrorism and how they kept on fighting, his support of the organization obvious before he said it in words. It would no doubt have an impact on them all, but for now he was just glad to see the man on their side. "For a while, we can relax. Maybe take that vacation that is long overdue." How many years have they been planning one? Chris knew that the B.S.A.A. took them all over the world, but not to relax or sightsee. It was always work.

The month since China passed by quickly. Arresting the remaining Neo-Umbrella researchers and supporters was easy, the more powerful ones thinking they could simply take over where Simmons failed and made it almost boring to take down once and for all. So many people have been saved thanks to Piers´ sacrifice in the underground facility. Wesker´s as well, something the man had to come to accept. Being protected like that at least made him realize how Chris felt all those times he did the same.

"Where would you like to go then?" Chris set his empty glass on the table and leaned into Wesker, lowering the volume on the President´s speech. 

"Japan is said to be beautiful this time of the year. The pink trees are in full bloom and the ancient wisteria trees are a popular tourist destination." Wesker looked at him and Chris considered the idea. Japan sounded beautiful though he knew they would stand out a bit. A week or ten days just enjoying themselves sounded fantastic.

"Do you want to visit the hot springs in the mountains? I heard that some of them have monkeys that will take baths in the hot water and steal shiny things." Personally, he was not that fond of the idea of bathing in monkey water and judging by Wesker´s expression, neither was he.

"Perhaps something without the monkeys in the vicinity might be better, but a hot spring does sound delightful. Hm... let me see..." Wesker reached for the laptop resting on the coffee table, finishing the glass of wine and set the now empty glass down as he started to search for a destination city. "The centre of all, Tokyo... or perhaps something calmer? We can always just travel as they are highly effective regarding transportation... hm, this hotel looks nice."

Chris watched him browse, nodding from time to time, giving some input on what should be close and where they could go and before he knew it, Wesker had the bookings confirmed and tickets bought. In two days they were leaving. "Isn´t that a bit soon?"

"Not soon enough, Chris. Tomorrow we stop by the HQ and let them know we won´t be available and I mean that. No annoying calls from work since I want to finally enjoy my time with you." The man seemed all too smug about his reasoning and Chris gave in. Not that he had a choice in the matter, considering everything was already paid and booked.

He couldn´t wait.

\---

"Tomorrow? That was quick. Bring me something nice and super kitschy I can put into my office." Jill patted Chris´ shoulder when they told her to take over any paperwork. "You´ll finally get to relax. Oh, by the way, Wesker, these came for you earlier." Jill waved an envelope at the man who took it, reading the handwriting on top before smiling. Chris tried to take a peek and thought he saw Claire´s handwriting on it, but why would she send Wesker anything?

"Excellent. I assume Piers received a similar one? Where is he, anyway? I thought I would do one last check-up to ease his mind for good."

"He went down to the training room with Jake for a one-on-one session. He´s been working hard with the new arm. Have fun you two." Jill smiled as the men left her office, waving goodbye. A vacation didn´t sound that bad. Maybe she would take one after them. Someplace warm and sunny.

"What did Claire send you? And Piers, too. You mentioned it before as well and I really want to know what my sister would send you an envelope with... what is it, anyway?" Chris was too curious to remain silent about it.

"Photos of you growing up, of course." Wesker was so smug about it and Chris just stared. Why would anyone want that? "Don´t think about it, Chris. Now to find a nice picture frame." Their apartment already had a few. Chris insisted they decorate, make it more of a home that way and now there were more photos added every year almost. The latest from a week ago when Piers was cleared for duty once again.

The locker room was empty, but he could hear muffled noise from the training hall and calmly headed there. Jake and Piers were training hard lately, spending time together and Chris almost began to wonder if he might have misinterpreted the looks he saw in Jake´s eyes a month ago. Probably, considering nothing-

"Ah!" He stopped as he nearly rounded the corner to another section. Was that a sound of pain? Didn´t really... sound like that. Wesker was behind him, removing his shades, equally suspicious. When Piers´ voice came, Chris brought a finger to his lips. "Jake-someone can-"

"Don´t care." They were definitely there and it sounded like they were fighting. Chris hesitated a moment before peeking around the corner and his cheeks flushed. Jake had Piers against the wall, but not pinned. One hand was actually wrapped around him as the other was doing something interesting to his backside, the sniper´s arms holding onto the younger man´s shoulders. "This place tells me you don´t want to stop..."

"That´s because of last night, asshole!" Piers´ face was red, eyes glaring at Jake before the other man kissed him again and probably did something more intimate, judging by the next moan that came from Piers.

Chris felt someone tug him back and it was a good thing too since he was too mesmerized to actually look away. Wesker silently pulled him back to the entrance and back into the locker room, all the way outside into the hallway. "The two need to learn to find a more private place."

"Need to-Wesker! They are about to fuck!" Anyone could walk in on them! Though he shouldn´t be one to talk considering how many times someone walked in on him and Wesker in the act. Often it was actually Jill. "So I was right..."  
The look in Jake´s eyes when he stared at Piers, the way he looked out for him and worried about him, he was in love. And Piers seemed to feel the same. Chris was happy for them. Even more so after what happened to Piers. "It began shortly after they started living together, actually. They got closer after a week and then it was a given that things develop like this." Wesker was awfully calm about it.

"I guess you´re right. Come on, let´s grab some coffee while they finish up in there. And I don´t want to ever say something like that again." It made him cringe to consider the meaning of his words from another angle and Chris shook his head, walking with his lover to the lounge. In about fifteen minutes he would send Piers a message to come up to meet them.

Instead he received one from Jake first about enjoying the show.

\---

Japan was beautiful, but he knew that already. Enjoying it from an outside hot spring was different. The view of the valley beneath was gorgeous, the evening lanterns providing just enough light to make it look picturesque. The cherry blossoms kept floating down from the large tree as well, floating on the water. They arrived out of season and it was like having the entire resort to themselves.

"Hm, feels so good." Chris slowly moved through the water. They had such a long day, but the festival was fun. He had to have Wesker fix the yukata a few times since it kept coming loose, but he didn´t mind. Walking around in something like that was really comfortable.

"I wonder how hard it would be to implement something like this at our place. Perhaps a hot tub on the terrace?" Wesker watched him, wet hair falling into his face from when he washed it. The strange customs were easier to deal with when no one else was staring at them. At the festival, all eyes were on Wesker as the man walked, wearing the dark shades and an equally dark yukata. A pale, blond foreigner with the body (and abilities) of a god. And Chris loved being by his side, though he did notice a few people staring at him as well.

The booths were interesting, but the shooting games were his favourite. Now they had a lot of souvenirs for everyone along with the ones they bought in Tokyo. And now it was time for them to enjoy a relaxing soak in the outside pool of the hot springs resort in the mountains above the small town.

"You were drinking sake years ago, when we went out with everyone, after you were shot, remember?" Chris watched the man pour the warm alcohol into the tiny cup, a glowing eye opening as the man smiled.

"How could I forget the night of our first kiss? Of course I remember. I also remember teaching you to hold chopsticks. I do hope you retained that skill, as our dinner will be sushi, only perhaps more authentic." Chris moved over to him, pressing a wet kiss to his lips while picking a petal from the man´s hair.

"I could just have you feed me." He argued softly, then smiled and kissed him again. "I could spend all night in here. What is it about it feeling so much better than a normal bathtub?"

"The heated spring water, I assume. A natural remedy in many areas." Wesker smoothed his hair back from his face. "We can do this again tomorrow. For now, I think you should eat something other than candy." Wesker slowly stood from the water, in all his naked glory and Chris forgot his own name for a moment. Something about seeing him in the evening light like this made his blood run hot and he nodded, unable to argue and followed his example.

The simplicity of the rooms was pleasant and he found the sleeping arrangements oddly comfortable. The view was what got him the most. For being such a crowded country, Japan was utterly stunning and he loved the view. The sushi also tasted different when this fresh. Though he was not a fan of the sake, Japanese beer was something he would look for back home as well. This vacation was the best idea they had.

The only thing he had an issue with was the yukatas. Though comfortable, he had to remember to pay attention to how he wore it. Apparently right over left was for the dead or something and he kept making the same mistake that Wesker corrected each time. Even now when they were alone. When the empty trays were taken away and the futons in the adjoined room rolled out, Chris was more than ready to relax with his lover.

"We have to do this again. Maybe come back next year." Chris stretched out on the futon, closing his eyes for a moment. "Did you see how many people stared at you at the festival? I bet they have never seen anyone like you." Chris felt oddly proud of his lover.

"Probably as many people stared at me as they gawked at you. The yukata kept coming undone, revealing more of your chest than necessary. I wonder how many photos have been taken of you unaware like that..." Wesker took a couple himself, enjoying his new phone and the quality camera that came with it. Even not he had the device out, staring at Chris before shamelessly taking a photo of the man.

"Hey!" Chris tried to protest, but before he could Wesker kissed him, pinning him down to the futon, one hand caressing his cheek as the kiss deepened and all protests were silenced. Chris only moaned, pulling him closer, hands sliding beneath the yukata the man wore. 

"I couldn´t resist. Then again, I never could when it comes to you." Wesker´s smile was disarming and Chris had no words, only ended up pulling the man into another kiss as hands slid over his body, undoing the sash that weakly held the clothing around his body exposing him to the nightly air.

His hands were not idle either, sliding the material off of Wesker´s shoulders and once he shrugged it off, watched it pool around his waist. Chris really loved this easy access, but before he could touch Wesker more the man was once more kissing him, parting the yukata even more as he knelt between his legs. Chris hadn´t bothered to wear any underwear beneath after the outdoor bath and there was no way to deny his arousal now.

Of course, they came prepared. The bottle of lubricant, already halfway through even though they bought a new one before the vacation, was taken from their luggage the moment the futons were ready and Wesker was already pouring some onto his fingers while his lips left small kisses all over Chris´ chest, distracting him for only a moment.

The pain and discomfort stopped appearing a long time ago, replaced by eagerness and anticipation and perhaps a bit of impatience from Chris as the fingers stretched him. The warm glow of the lantern in the room made Wesker appear even more stunning. Chris moaned, feeling another mark being left on his chest. Maybe another reason why people stared were those marks he never bothered to hide any longer. Why should he? He was proud of them.

"You are beautiful, Chris." Wesker´s words snapped him out of his thoughts and he was aware of the heated stare. The now blue eyes looked him over, the man sitting back to take in the view of his fingers disappearing between the young man´s legs as he added a third digit. The wet sound never did stop being embarrassing to Chris and his cheeks felt warm.

"Stop teasing me so much," he whined and Wesker chuckled in response, kissing his lips as the fingers withdrew and were replaced by something much better. Wesker´s hair was once more falling into his eyes as he stared down at him and Chris could not look away. The blue stare could see straight into his soul for sure and he moaned when the other began to move, slowly thrusting, not even trying to rush things.

When he wrapped his legs around the man´s waist to hold him closer, Chris felt the friction against his own excited length, Wesker´s lips capturing his own in another kiss. The pace gradually increased the more he held onto the man, his nails leaving faint marks in the man´s shoulders and Chris knew they would be there in the morning. He moaned softly, not holding back his voice for once.

"I love you... I love you so much..." Whispering against the man´s lips, Chris clung to him more, the pleasure shaking his frame, his member rubbed between their bodies. He knew they would need another shower after this and didn´t care. He just wanted to feel Wesker close. Feel all of him. And he got exactly what he desired when his lover´s thrusts pressed to his core, making him cry out from the intensity. A moment later he came, his cry lost in the heated kiss, followed by a soft moan when Wesker released inside him.

They stayed connected until the man slid out of him, caressing his face and Chris didn´t want to move. Wesker shared the sentiment, rising briefly to grab a box of tissues and used that to clean them both up the best he could. The rest could wait until morning.

"I love you, Chris. I never thought... I would speak those words to anyone. You changed my life..." Wesker laid beside him and Chris moved into his arms without a word. "You saved me..." Wesker nuzzled into his hair, tightening his hold briefly before tugging the covers over their bodies. "For so long I spent looking for something, looking for the perfection that my life was missing. And I finally found it in you." Wesker´s lips found his own and Chris eagerly returned the kiss before pulling away.

"I´m not perfect." He argued, earning himself a chuckle from the older man.

"You are. More than you will ever realize, Chris. Your kind heart and your brave soul... all of you as you are right now. You are what I always longed for in my life. And I´m never letting you go." Wesker kissed him again, silencing any further arguments from the younger man. And Chris let him, pressing closer until their hearts beat as one.


End file.
